The Indispensable Tank
by Michiganlex
Summary: Tank investigates Ranger's murder. Written mid 2002 and contains 15 chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Author: Lex**

**Title: The Indispensable Tank**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Notes: Tank investigates Ranger's murder. This story was written mid-2002 and contains 15 chapters and an epilogue.**

**The Indispensable Tank**

Prologue and Chapter 1

Prologue: 

I stood watching the crane raise the sign while the workmen on the roof risked their lives to catch it and bolt it the front of the building. **Stephanie Plum Bail Bonds**. It had a nice ring to it. Less than a week ago I could never have imagined that this would happen and then Ranger had decided to "collect" on the night that I owed him for helping me with DeCooch. Everything had happened so quickly after that. I'm not sure that I would ever find a way to thank Ranger for this.

The sign swung toward the men and they reached out. I closed my eyes and felt strong arms encircle my waist from behind. A forehead rested on my hair.

"You're smushing my hair," I said tipping my head back. The chocolate eyes that smiled back were very familiar to me.

"Geez, Cupcake, you're the boss…who's gonna say anything about your hair?" He stared up at the sign. "I like the lipstick tube dotting the "i." Very sexy." Joe Morelli. My on again off again boyfriend and sometime fiancé. He thought that everything was sexy. I have to admit, that's one of the things that I love about him. "Just got one problem."

"What's that?" I asked suspiciously.

"Shouldn't it say **Stephanie Morelli Bail Bonds**?"

"We talked about this," I sighed.

"You talked," he grumbled. I patted his cheek.

"Some other time okay? I don't want anything to ruin today. I fully expect Joyce to come in and I want to be ready to kick her ass. Like the suit? I'm trying to look ruthlessly professional."

"It's pretty ruthless, all right," Joe confirmed tossing me a wolf grin. He curled a tendril that had pulled loose from the French twist that I'd constructed earlier in the day. "I like your hair like that too. Very…professional." I noticed for the first time that something about Joe's tone was off. I looked up into his eyes and saw sadness.

"What is it, Joe?"

"Can we go inside?" he asked looking around cautiously. I stood back not sure of what was going on. Were we breaking up again already? It seemed that we'd just gotten back together.

"Sure," I said apprehensively. He opened the door for me and we walked past Connie and Lula. They stared after us obviously picking up on the negative vibe. I walked into my office and slid into the chair behind my desk. Joe closed the door and walked over perching himself in front of me on the edge of the desk. He stared at me for a few minutes and then sighed deeply. I was too frightened of what he had to say to rush him. Finally he took a deep breath.

"Stephanie," he began. I stiffened. He always called me "Cupcake" this was serious. He coughed slightly. I braced myself.

"Stephanie, Ranger Manoso is dead." I laughed. One look at Joe's eyes told me that he was not joking. I started to cry and he hugged me until I could cry no more.

**Chapter One: **

Khari "Tank" Kaplan knew that his best friend had not been well loved. Few people had known Ranger Manoso as well or as long but Khari was forced to admit that he hadn't known Ranger all that well. Even with all the holes in his knowledge of Ranger he could not accept the ruling of the inquest. Khari slammed his fist into the courthouse wall. People stared at him and rushed to wherever they had been headed. Only one of them seemed brave enough to approach the obviously enraged, 6'6", black man.

"Tough call," said the tall and lean Italian man. "You knew him well?" Khari stared down at the man blankly. "Saw you in the inquest hearing. You worked for Ranger? Joe Morelli, Trenton P.D." He extended his hand.

"He was my best friend," Khari said dully ignoring the outstretched hand. "Known him most of my life."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Khari stared at him narrowly.

"You didn't testify. Morbid curiosity?" Morelli seemed unfazed by Khari's attempt to lash out.

"Ranger was sort of a mentor to my fiancé," he explained. "She testified."

"Stephanie Plum?" Morelli nodded. "Nice kid. I worked with her a couple times. Careless though." He rubbed his chest at the memory of the last time he'd worked with Stephanie. It hadn't turned out well for either of them but had been worse for him. Morelli chuckled.

"Careless but lucky." Khari shrugged. Couldn't argue with that.

"Do you buy this accidental death thing?" Morelli asked referring to the ruling of the inquest.

Khari stared at the ground. He hadn't bought it. Whatever Ranger had been he had never been careless and he'd been religious with his diet. To say that Ranger had died from a stroke caused by steroid abuse was incomprehensible to Khari. When they were kids in Brooklyn Ranger had expressed an aversion to drugs. People changed but Khari couldn't imagine that he had changed so much. Everyone experimented but Ranger had never been a user, Khari was sure of that. It bothered Khari that the medical examiner and coroner had been so eager to wrap the case up that he had accepted a man of Ranger's size giving himself a steroid injection in the back of his upper arm. There had only been one mark and the medical examiner had not found any signs of further "track marks." He finally looked back up at an expectant Morelli.

"Maybe I didn't know Ranger as well as I thought I did," he said finally. Stephanie was exiting the building and Morelli waved her over. She seemed to recognize Khari and smiled sadly at him. Morelli wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed. She took a deep breath.

"What a joke," she said finally. The anger in her voice took Khari by surprise. "Ranger would never do drugs. Someone killed him."

"I agree," he said calmly. Stephanie looked up the surprise evident.

"You say that you were his friend. How can you stand there knowing that someone killed him and let those bastards say that he was a drug user?"

"I see no way to stop them. Maybe I didn't know Ranger as well as I'd thought. People change a lot at our age. Maybe he was starting to feel the burn of growing older and felt that he needed a boost." Khari was trying to convince himself as much as Stephanie. He would be the first to admit that Ranger Manoso had not been an angel…. but a drug user?

"If you were any kind of friend you'd be looking for the asshole who did this. The medical examiner said himself that Ranger didn't have any other marks to indicate that he'd used steroids more than once. How can they say that and then still rule that the steroids killed him?" Stephanie started to cry and Morelli pulled her to his chest. Khari shrugged helplessly.

"It only takes one time. He could have been taking them in pill form and thought he'd try the faster acting hit to the vein." Stephanie ignored the comment.

"I need to find out who did this," she sobbed. "Ranger was a good friend to me. He was like my brother. I could always count on him to help." She looked up at Khari, blue eyes shining. "Help me, please." She begged "Help me find out who did this to him." Khari noted a look of anger and resentment in Morelli's eyes. Odd, he thought. He wrote it off as concern for how hard Stephanie was taking Ranger's death. He pulled a business card from his pocket and wrote his mobile phone number on the back.

"You go home and get some sleep and then give me a call when you've thought things through. Don't go out on your own. If someone did kill him and you go sniffing around you could get yourself into a lot of trouble."

"Okay," Stephanie said tiredly. Morelli stared at Khari gratefully. "But I will be calling." Khari sighed.

"Fine, but don't go out on your own. You know, Stephanie, chances are that we're gonna find that we just didn't know him all that well."

"I'll take that chance," she said eyes flashing.

"We should be going," Morelli said. "How about if you take today off, Cupcake, forget about it for a day and we can go to the shore?" Stephanie sniffed and shook her head.

"I have work to do, Joe."

"Don't bounty hunters pretty much write their own hours? You look like you could use a day off," Khari urged hesitantly. He knew better than to interfere but Stephanie really did look like she could use a day off.

"I own the business now so I have a lot more to do. I kind of need to be there." She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief that she was carrying.

"Whatever you want, Cupcake," Morelli said soothingly.

"You own **Vincent Plum Bail Bonds**?" Khari asked confused.

"It's called **Stephanie Plum Bail Bonds** now," Stephanie said brightening slightly.

Khari watched Morelli and Stephanie as they made their way down the steps.

"Funny, I thought that Ranger owned **Vincent Plum Bail Bonds**," he mumbled to himself.

He sighed again heavily and then headed back to Rangeman headquarters to start inquiries. There would be no rest for little boys who were dumb enough to talk to strangers.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"_I can't believe it. I was so fucking angry when he didn't show for Analise's recital." Lita's thick Brooklyn accent was made thicker by sobs. "I hated the asshole but I didn't want him dead. Doesn't matter how bad a father he was he was still Analise's father." Khari was at an uncomfortable loss for words. The police had asked him to call Lita and ask her to come to identify the body. He hadn't wanted to do it but he couldn't let her hear about her ex-husband's death from the police._

"_I'm really sorry," Khari said lamely. Lita breathed heavily for a moment composing herself._

"_Thank you, Khari. I appreciate you calling to let me know."_

"_There's another thing, Lita. The police want someone to come identify the body. Can you do it?" Khari held his breath during the lengthy pause._

"_Shit, Khari, could you do it? I'm gonna have to tell Analise and I know she's not gonna be up for the trip. I can't tell her that her father is dead and then leave her with a babysitter while I take off to New Jersey." Khari thought about seeing the body and then closed his eyes and attempted to slow his racing heart. He took several gulps of air._

"_I'm sorry, I know how afraid you are of dead bodies and you know that I wouldn't ask it if it wasn't important. Maybe one of the other guys could go? Is Lester still there? Lester could do it." Lita was pleading now. Khari took another deep breath._

"_I'll ask Lester," he knew that Lester would say no but it was worth a shot. He mentally went through a local list of women that Ranger had been with but they had never been around long enough to warrant more than a brief introduction. The man is lucky he didn't die of VD, Khari thought. The irriational thought had him giggling hysterically to himself._

"_Are you okay, Khari?" Lita asked. He swallowed the giggles._

"_Yea. I'm just overtired and still in shock," he answered. "If I can't find someone I'll do it myself. Tell Analise that I'll be up to see her as soon as I can."_

"_I'll do that. You were always more of a father to her than her own. I hope that helps her through this," Lita said gratefully. Khari smiled._

"_Tell her that I love her." His voice cracked with emotion._

Khari was brought back to the present by the clink of a coffee cup hitting the table. He shook his head to rid his mind of the cobwebs and realized that Shiloh was talking to him.

"What did you say?" he asked wearily turning to focus on her.

"You're miles away. Inquest didn't go well?" she asked in her lazy, Southern Virginia drawl. When Khari had first met Shiloh Page she'd been a senior at Georgetown University. Her father had held one of the Senate seats for the state of Virginia for several years. Ranger had underestimated her at first. At 26 years old she was all of 5'4" and 130 lbs. She had short blond hair and dark blue eyes and was attractive enough but in no way intimidating. Ranger had figured that she would be a good connection to the White House as there had been buzz that her father was soon to be appointed to the Presidents Cabinet. The political connection hadn't panned out but Shiloh had proved to be a valuable asset to the organization. She was a tracking genius almost able to predict where people were going before they knew where they were going.

"Accidental death. Stroke caused by steroids." Khari took a long drink of his coffee burning his tongue.

"Bullshit," Shiloh said, her blue eyes serious.

"That's what I thought. You know, Shi, I can't help but think we really didn't know him. Part of me says that he'd never do drugs and the other part says 'How do I know?'" Khari answered.

"What bothers you most about the way he died?" Shiloh asked. Khari sighed. She would know that he'd gone over every detail of the autopsy and inquest.

"There's none of the damage associated with long term steroid use. Ranger was a big guy. Why would he all of a sudden try steroids? Why not pills? He shot the steroids into the back of the right upper arm. He was right handed. It would have been easier to do the left arm. None of this adds up, Shi, and I swear I replay every second in my mind. How can this not make me crazy?" he could feel the frustration building.

Shiloh opened her mouth to respond and the outer door opened. She relaxed in her chair and took a drink of her coffee. Darrin O'Malley strode in and stopped when he saw Shiloh and Khari at the table.

"Hey," he said amiably, making his way to the coffee pot. "How'd the inquest go?"

"Accidental death," Khari said feeling as if he'd never stop repeating it.

"Yea, I figured. Weird. Isn't he the one who kicked your ass off that shit, Khari?" Khari glanced nervously at Shiloh. He was pretty sure that she hadn't known and wasn't sure what she'd think of him now that she knew.

"Yea," he answered nervously. Shiloh's expression was a study in casual disinterest. He relaxed kicking himself mentally. It had been a long time ago and Shiloh had never been the sort of person to hold the past against a person.

"What gonna happen to us with the boss gone?" Darrin asked. "Someone taking over the business?" Khari hadn't considered that Rangeman might close without Ranger.

"We're fairly profitable. Whoever inherits would be wise to appoint a managing interest and keep the place going." Shiloh answered.

"It'll probably be Analise. Lita may not want the bother of keeping Rangeman going," Khari speculated. The three were sobered by the idea that they might be out of job.

"I've got a skip to pick up," Darrin said moving toward the door. Khari and Shiloh sat silently for a moment.

"Who would kill him?" Shiloh asked calmly. She leaned back in her chair and cradled her coffee mug. She propped her jean-clad legs up on the chair next to her.

"Who wouldn't?" Khari asked miserably.

"Good point."

"That reminds me. I ran into that chick that Ranger was chasing at the inquest. The one with the cop boyfriend? Shit, her last name is Plum." he struggled to remember the name but his mind was still clouded.

"Stephanie?" Shiloh offered. She'd never met Stephanie Plum but she'd heard the stories. She especially liked the one where the woman had been naked and chained to her shower rod and had called Ranger. Ranger had thought that it was a ploy to get him into bed and had joked before he left not to wait up for him. Shiloh chuckled. There had been no reason to wait up; he was back in 15 minutes.

"That's her. She's convinced that someone killed Ranger and asked me to help her look into it. While we were talking she mentioned that she owns **Vincent Plum Bail Bonds.** Didn't Ranger buy that right before the owner went on the run?" Shiloh kept Ranger's holdings in order and contracted for whatever work they needed.

"Yup. He still owns it. He did a controlling interest deal with someone. Stephanie, I guess. Anyway, he told me that I could leave that one to handle itself. Maybe he decided it wasn't worth the hassle and outright sold it to her?" she speculated.

"That's probably it."

"What's she like, anyway?" Shiloh asked curiously.

"You know, typical. Like all you women. Has her brains in her pushup bra." He smiled mischievously.

"What did you say?" Shiloh asked stunned.

"You want me to repeat it?" he answered smiling.

"Actually I just want you to realize why I'm hitting you." Khari laughed.

"So where are you going to start, Sherlock Kaplan?" she asked.

"I don't even know. Any suggestions?" Khari asked smiling broadly. Shiloh pulled a notebook and pen out of her bag.

"I'd make a list. First we'll list anyone who may have wanted Ranger dead." Shiloh held the pen poised and looked at Khari expectantly. Khari considered the many people who might want Ranger dead and was hit with a flash of inspiration.

"Lester Santos." Shiloh wrote out the name. "And I think that maybe we need to go talk to him."

"Lita's brother? Ranger fired him ages ago. Why would he choose now to take revenge if that's the case?" Shiloh asked.

"He'd still be in the picture through Lita and Analise. You remember that fight that they had just before Ranger fired him? No one knew what that was about but Lester was doing some pretty good body damage," Khari reminded her.

"Holy shit, you're right. That was vicious. Let's go see what he has to say."


	3. Chapter 3

**Please excuse any mistakes. As I mention at the start of this story, it was written in 2002 and I don't think I've read it since then. I haven't grown as an a writer as I'm not one.**

**Chapter 3:**

_Khari stood outside of the county morgue his body bathed in a cold sweat. This was not good, he had yet to see a body and the idea of seeing one was giving him a panic attack. He took a deep breath. There were people counting on him and he couldn't let them down. More importantly, he'd had a nagging suspicion that it had all been a big mistake. Ranger wasn't really dead, he couldn't be. He took another deep breath and opened the door before he lost his nerve again._

_He stood in the white tiled entryway and took another deep breath. So far so good. He stared at the floor. It needs a good wash, he thought in an effort to distract himself from the task at hand. He forced his feet to move him to the information desk. The young receptionist smiled up at Khari shyly._

"_May I help you?" her eyes skimmed his strong chest and broad shoulders. How can she be so casual working with dead bodies? He wondered. Easy. She's above ground and they're…he turned and rushed toward the glass doors. He mumbled an apology as he pushed past someone entering the building. Once outside he took deep gulps of fresh air calming himself._

"_Are you okay?" Khari turned to see the woman that he had pushed past had followed him out. He smiled weakly hanging his head in shame._

"_I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run into you. I hope that you're okay."_

"_I'm fine but you look preoccupied are you Mr. Kaplan?" she asked smiling brightly. She had a nice face framed by dark silky looking curls. Her skin wasn't so dark as his. Her exotic looks led him to believe that she was of some Middle Eastern descent._

"_I am. You must be Dr. Houdra?" He remembered that he was supposed to meet the forensic pathologist in the lobby so that she could escort him to the inner recesses of the morgue. She nodded. "I'm not sure that I can go through with this."_

"_Why not?" she asked. She has nice eyes, he though staring into their brown depths. She wasn't laughing at him. She seemed really concerned. She would laugh at him once she knew the real problem. Everyone thought that it was so funny that a man his size could be so afraid of a lifeless body. She wouldn't understand._

"_What's your first name?" he asked. She laughed._

"_Nice dodge. It's Aziza. What's yours?" He'd slid against the building to the ground and she settled next to him._

"_Khari. Some people call me Tank." She smiled brightly._

_ "I wonder why." Her laugh was sharp but clear. "Were you close to Mr. Manoso?" Khari rubbed his face with his hands. Aziza watched him and sighed. She placed her small dark hand over his larger darker one. He took a long deep breathe before speaking._

_"We've been friends since we were both kids. Whenever one of us got a job the other would soon be working at the same place. We went into the army together. He's been my boss for the last few years... not just my boss." he took another deep breathe. "He never treated me like I had to answer to him. He helped me and I helped him." Tears had started to roll down Khari's cheeks and Aziza removed the silk scarf that she was wearing and brushed them away._

_"It'll be okay. I'll be there with you." He looked up surprised._

_"That'll be nice."_

"What apartment, Sir?" The doorman asked as he opened the door for Khari and Shiloh.

"I'm not sure of the number. I'm here to see Lester Santos. I'm Khari Kaplan and this is Miss. Page," Khari gestured absently to Shiloh. The doorman nodded and strode over to a phone.

"Miss. Page?" Shiloh laughed. "I feel like Moneypenny. " The doorman returned before Khari could throw back the witty response that he was almost sure that he could have thought up.

"You may go up. Mr. Santos is in Penthouse B." The doorman touched his hat and returned to his post. Khari moved to push the button to summon the elevator and then stopped.

"What's wrong?" Shiloh asked crossing her arms and rocking back on her heels.

"Maybe we should have called first?" he wondered. Shiloh sighed.

"We did call…. rather the doorman called. What are you worried about? I thought that you guys were good friends. Lester isn't going to think that there's anything odd about you visiting him." The impatience showed clearly on Shiloh's face. An uneasy feeling swept over Khari and then disappeared.

"Nice building." Shiloh looked around the mirrored lobby. "He must have landed on his feet after being fired." They were silent as they walked into the elevator car.

"He's a private bodyguard now, I think. He freelances for the famous. Mostly older and established Broadway actresses. He's been doing it for years so I kind of wondered why he'd want to take a steady job."

"Maybe he thought that he was getting too old for the human shield thing?" she observed as they exited the elevator. They found the door of Penthouse B standing open. Khari strode through the doorway and into the foyer.

"Les?" he called.

"Comin'," called a deep voice with a Brooklyn accent. Khari and Shiloh stepped through the neutrally decorated foyer into a dark but tastefully decorated living room.

"Sit down, I'll be right out," Lester called. Shiloh waited until Khari settled on a chair and then she sank into the overstuffed couch.

"I should have warned you," Khari said laughing. "You're never gonna be able to get up."

"Good thing I'm not wearing a…." she stopped mid sentence as Lester entered the room. He had a white towel around his neck that contrasted perfectly with his darkly defined chest. She could see why plenty of actresses would want him around. Lester noted her attention and started scrubbing his hair with the towel causing his stomach muscles to flex. Shiloh gasped.

"Who's your friend?" Lester asked. "You look familiar." He leaned casually toward Shiloh.

"Come on, Les, give her a break. This is Shiloh Page. She's a good friend of mine," Khari said laughing. Shiloh shook her head and turned toward Khari. If Lester didn't recognize Shiloh from Rangeman, he wouldn't correct him. Khari wanted Lester to think that this visit was casual.

"Hey, Bro, what's goin' on? You find anyone else to do that identification?" Lester settled next to Shiloh on the couch and ran his arm along the back. He looked her up and down and Shiloh felt her attraction to him melt away. He was a predator. She decided at that moment that if someone killed Ranger that it was Lester.

"Nah, I went myself," Khari said, his voice tight and nervous. Lester turned his attention from Shiloh.

"That's tough, man, sorry I couldn't be there for you. You know since this 9/11 shit I'm in demand. Even the guys on 'we need beer money' tours are calling for backup 'cause they think that some terrorist gives a rat's ass about them. Know what I'm sayin'? Can you believe fuckin' George Michael called me? All nervous after bein' robbed. They wanted to hit the asshole they would have done it while he was there. Good publicity to have someone guarding you. Makes you look like someone gives a damn." Lester leaned toward Shiloh. "I was on tour otherwise I wouldn't leave my man hangin'. How'd it go?"

"It was rough," Khari shrugged. He wanted desperately to change the subject. "Did you know that Ranger was taking steroids?"

"Didn't think he was the type but it sure as hell don't surprise me. The man was a big mofer. My momma would slap the shit out of me for speaking ill of the dead but the guy was fuckin' unbalanced enough to be on the heavy shit." Lester leaned back casually. Yep, he did it, Shiloh thought. She glanced at Khari to see if he had the same reaction. His face was a blank of casual friendliness.

"Who do you think inherits Rangeman?" Shiloh asked suddenly. Lester looked at her curiously suddenly seeming suspicious.

"Fuck if I know. Analise, I guess," he said thoughtfully. "Why you wanna know?"

"Well, if he was killed it would probably be the person who stood to benefit the most," Shiloh faltered.

"Who said he was killed?" Lester asked. He turned to Khari. Lester's face turned to a mask of rage. "What you really doin' here, Khari? You think that I fuckin' killed Ranger 'cause he treated my sister like shit and ignored my niece? 'Cause he treated us all like we owed him something?" Lester's voice was rising and Khari stood.

"I didn't say anything, Les. I do have some doubts that Ranger died accidentally but I never said that you killed him." He held up his hands in protest.

"Just so you know, chickie, we all hated that asshole but none of us killed him. He was a fool and got hooked on the hard stuff and killed himself. Now get the fuck out of my house," Lester growled. Khari hurried to the door, Shiloh trailing behind him. Lester slammed the door as soon as they exited and Shiloh and Khari hurried to the elevator.

"Holy shit," Shiloh breathed.

"No kidding," Khari agreed.

Joe stood outside the open door of Stephanie's office watching her go through drawers wearing rubber first aid gloves. He did not want to go in. She had asked him to probe into the investigation of Ranger's death and she would not like what he had found – or not found. He sighed and she looked up and smiled brightly.

"Joe!" She rushed over and kissed him careful not to touch him with the gloves. "This is going to take me forever. You would not believe some of the things that I found in Vinnie's drawers. I should just have this desk removed and get a new one." Joe chuckled.

"Sound's safer than what you're doing now. How 'bout you take a break and I buy you some lunch?" he asked.

"Sounds good. I could do with a break and you know I never pass on food. Can we go to Pino's?" He smiled at how her eyes were shining at the mention of her favorite pizza parlor. From what he heard Pino's had rats the size of small ponies but the pizza was beyond compare so the guys at the health department looked the other way.

Stephanie pulled the gloves off carefully and tossed them into the trash can.

"You driving?" she asked.

"Yea, I can." He made the sudden decision that it might be better to brave Stephanie's temper in a quieter place. "Can we talk first?"

"Sure," Stephanie said. Her expression had darkened and she looked worried.

"It's about Ranger," Joe said. Her expression cleared.

"What did you find out?" He sighed. Might as well cut to the chase.

"It's an accident, Steph, none of the guys are wanting it to be anything else." He could see her temper building.

"What?" Her voice was incredulous.

"You know how it is, Steph, a junkie kills himself and no one cares. He had a little of everything in his system. The steroid was methandrostenelone. That's a rare form of veterinary steroid that's injectable. He even had a drug from the Benzodiazepine class in his system." Joe rubbed Stephanie's arm as he spoke feeling it getting tenser.

"What was that second one?" she asked.

"Benzodiazepine is a drug class usually used to control seizures. Sometimes people use it when they have insomnia," Joe explained. He tried to keep his voice low and soothing. Stephanie stared blankly for a moment before speaking.

"Sleeping pills? Ranger had sleeping pills in his system?" she asked.

"Junkies will take anything, Steph." He said immediately thinking better of it. He expected her to blow at his calling Ranger a junkie. Instead she picked up her purse, cellphone and keys.

"I'm gonna have to take a rain check on lunch, Joe. I suddenly have something that I need to do. I'll see you at home tonight."

He watched as she left and hoped to hell that she wasn't doing anything that could get her killed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Please excuse the faulty Italian.**

**Chapter 4:**

_Aziza coaxed Khari back into the building and held his hand as they boarded the elevator. His knees went weak and he felt as though he was slipping. Aziza squeezed his hand and smiled up at him reassuringly. He stared into her brown eyes. He hadn't dated in a long time and wasn't sure of how to ask a woman out but decided that he would try with Aziza._

_Khari had expected the morgue to smell of death and was pleasantly surprised and reassured at the strong odor of disinfectant. Stepping out of the elevator, he noted that the hallway was lined with windows and opted to stare at the floor. Just because he was getting better at this didn't make it easy. _

"_Do you need a few more minutes?" Aziza asked stopping at a door. She had noticed how increasingly nervous Khari was becoming. She'd noticed the way that his grip had tightened as the elevator had descended. She tried to appear casual resting her other hand lightly on the door handle. _

"_No, let's get this done," Khari took a few deep breathes. Aziza nodded and opened the door. Khari slowly looked up. _

_The first thing that he noticed was the bank of vaults on one wall. He shivered knowing that there was probably a dead body in each of them. He stepped into the room and started to look around when he suddenly stopped cold. An incredibly pale looking Ranger was lying on a table completely nude. His torso was sliced down the middle. A lab assistant was standing over the body doing something with what looked to be Ranger's heart. Khari's chest felt suddenly too tight and his head felt as though it would explode. He turned to run from the room but the door was closed so he threw up in the first thing he could reach – a basin filled with surgical instruments. The sight of the scalpel caused him to shake. He fell to the floor and curled up in a ball. _

"_I asked you to close him up, Maria," Aziza said in a perturbed voice to the assistant. _

"_I was just about to do it," The assistant said sounding equally irritated. "You didn't tell me that anyone was coming to see him." _

"_Your job is to do what I ask you to do when I ask you to do it. It's not to guess at when you think that it should be done. Get a cool cloth for Mr. Kaplan's forehead and then go get something to clean this mess up." She pointed to the vomit that hadn't made it to the basin and had landed on the floor. Aziza turned and kneeled next to Khari. Maria threw a mock salute at Aziza's back and left the room. She returned a few minutes later with the cloth and then left again. Aziza placed the cool cloth over Khari's face. _

_Khari immediately became more alert and sat up. He was embarrassed. It wasn't like there had been any blood. He hoped that Aziza would think that he'd been ill because Ranger was a good friend and it was hard to see him open like that. He wasn't sure that he could take it if she guessed the shameful truth. He was squeamish. He realized that Aziza was speaking to him. _

"_We can go out into the hallway. Maybe you could get one of his other friends to come to identify him?" _

"_No, I'm here and I'm too busy now that Ranger is gone to reschedule," he said lamely. Khari was still shaking but he forced himself to stand brushing off Aziza's arm with a forced smile. "I just need to look at one thing to be sure." He forced himself to walk toward the body all the time imagining that Ranger was sleeping. He had seen Ranger sleeping often enough. He even forced himself to walk quietly so that Ranger wouldn't wake. He lifted the sheet and stared almost disbelieving at the tattoos that decorated Ranger's left hip. He looked at Ranger's face and couldn't avoid looking at the gaping hole in Ranger's chest. Khari threw up again narrowly missing the body. He composed himself and then looked up at Aziza. _

"_It's him," he said as he rushed for the door. _

Khari and Shiloh considered the visit with Lester as they drove through the streets of Trenton to the Rangeman offices. Kids who were playing street hockey in front of row houses cleared away for the car to pass. Khari thought, not for the first time, that Trenton was incredibly gray. There was something so dreary about the city. It was like stepping into a Dickens novel.

"Lester did it," Shiloh said breaking the silence. "He's the kind of arrogant asshole who thinks that it's his job to rid the world of people who irritate him." Khari chuckled.

"You're thinking that way because he irritated you. We can't let our feelings cloud our judgment. Do you really think that with a temper like Lester has he could plan a murder? Nah, with him it would be spur of the moment and violent." Khari paused thoughtfully. "Do you realize that we're not even thinking of this as an accident anymore?"

"There's no chance that it was. Ranger wouldn't do drugs and that's that," Shiloh said crossing her arms. Khari glanced at her speculatively.

"How well did you know Ranger?" he asked. Shiloh glanced at him and caught his suspicious glare.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm wondering why you're so interested in helping me," Khari explained. "I never got the impression that you liked Ranger all that much."

"I didn't dislike Ranger. When we were with the guys he treated me like one of them. When we were alone he treated me like a business associate. He was very respectful. Maybe he wasn't attracted to me or maybe he saw the folly in messing with a coworker? Who knows? I probably saw a lot more of the real Ranger than the guys. I can't say that I would have been receptive if he'd made any sort of move on me. He had the key Shiloh repellant. He was arrogant and most sane women aren't turned on by guys who think too much of themselves." Shiloh stopped talking abruptly. Khari waited for her to start talking again and when she didn't he attempted to mentally arrange the questions that he had. He asked the first one that came to his mind.

"Did he ever say anything to you that might lead you to believe that he was in some sort of danger?" Shiloh considered the question.

"He was always in danger. Come on, Khari, that's part of riding on the edge of the law, right? I can think of 20 people who would be after him and I didn't know him half as well as you did." Shiloh looked pensive and Khari knew that there had to be more to this story. His cell phone rang as they pulled into the Rangeman lot. He flipped it open and began to speak.

Stephanie was rapidly beginning to think of Joe's home as her own. They weren't ready for the big step of moving in together yet but Stephanie hadn't been home in over a week. Stephanie was sitting at Joe's kitchen table trying to figure out who would want to kill Ranger when the phone rang. She picked it up without thinking. Usually in Joe's home she let the machine pick it up. She knew that he didn't cheat on her but she couldn't shake the feeling that someday she would pick it up and it would be another woman.

"Yo," she said and then teared up. She would have to get out of the habit of answering the phone in that way. It only reminded her of Ranger.

"Hola, Joe Morelli, por favor."

"Joe's not here. Do you want to leave a message?" Stephanie asked.

"Perdono? Non parlo inglese. Parlate italiano?" Did she speak Italian? Not so well as she once did. She could handle this.

"Sì, un bit piccolo. Gradite lasciare una nota per Joe?" She grabbed a pen and paper and prepared to take the message.

"Sto chiamando dalla Cuba. Ciò è circa Ricardo Manoso. Dire prego al sig. Morelli che abbia fatto che cosa mi ha chiesto di fare. Una volta che lo paga l' equilibrio lo ha dovuto può metterselo in contatto con in qualunque momento per le informazioni che ha chiesto." The voice had spoken slowly and clearly but Stephanie could not believe what she was hearing.

"Potete dirmi ancora più lento?" She asked gulping hard. She had to hear it again and maybe if he said it more slowly she would not hear what she thought that she'd heard.

"Sto chiamando circa Ricard Manoso. Ho fatto che cosa il sig. Morelli ha desiderato. Può pagarlo che cosa deve ed allora gli dirò che cosa desidera sentirsi." She gasped. He HAD said what she thought that she'd heard. He was calling about Ranger. Joe had asked him to do something and owed him money for whatever it was.

"Gli darò il messaggio," she said absently.

"Grazie, cara signora, arrivederci."

"Nessun problema, arrivederci." She placed the phone back on the cradle. There was a logical explanation for this…there had to be. But what could it be? Stephanie remembered how nervous Joe had seemed when he stopped in to tell her about Ranger's tox report. She stared into space for a few minutes and then shuffled around in her purse until she found what she was looking for. She pulled the business card out and dialed the number.

"Tank?" she asked. "It's Stephanie. I have some information that I think proves that Ranger was murdered and now I think I might know who did it."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

_Aziza followed Khari from the building and led him to a coffee shop down the street from the morgue. Khari downed the first cup of strong, black, coffee so quickly that he gagged as the hot liquid surged to the back of his throat. He gradually composed himself._

_"Are you okay?" Aziza asked, not for the first time that day._

_"I'm fine...it's over...I'm fine." Khari waved the waitress over and she refilled his cup. He closed his eyes trying to shake the picture of Ranger lying on the table. He took several calming sips of coffee before opening his eyes to see Aziza staring at him curiously._

_"I-I have a problem with that sort of thing," Khari admitted. He stared down at the table. Aziza laughed. Bitch, he thought._

_"No kidding. A lot of people have a problem with "that sort of thing." It's nothing to be ashamed of. Believe it or not I've seen worse than what happened with you today." Khari looked up and smiled._

_"Maybe you can tell me those stories over dinner sometime," he suggested shyly._

_"I'd love too," Aziza responded blushing slightly. Khari stared at her for a few moments before shaking his head and getting down to business._

_"I just can't get around this. Ranger was 32 years old and in perfect health. What could have happened?" Khari noticed that Aziza looked hesitant._

_"I don't suppose you can talk in cases like this," Khari said finally._

_"Not usually. I have to admit that it all looks very odd. Cause of death was stroke caused by overdose of steroids..." Aziza stopped speaking when she noticed the shocked look on Khari's face._

_"Steroids?" he asked._ _Aziza nodded. Khari's head sunk to his hands._

_"Are you surprised?" Aziza asked. She wanted to reach over to comfort Khari but he somehow seemed on the edge._

_"It's not possible," Khari mumbled._

_"What?"_

_"It didn't happen that way. It's not possible. Ranger didn't take steroids. He never would. Khari closed his eyes. He could see Ranger standing in front of him. _

_"Discipline and exercise," Ranger had said. "You don't need that shit. It's only gonna kill you." How long ago was that? 12 years? 13 years? He would not have changed his mind. He could hear Aziza calling to him but he kept turning things over in his mind. _

_"I can do whatever the fuck I want, Ranger." That was Lester high on speed. Ranger knocked him out cold and Khari helped carry Lester to the hospital where he signed in to rehab. He shook his head and focused on Aziza._

_"What's wrong? You kept mumbling things. All I caught was Ranger," she asked._

_"Nothing," Khari wiped his hands over his face._

_"You are a lifelong friend, right?" Khari shook his head. "I gather from his med records that he was a Ranger in the Army but why do you call him Ranger?" She really wanted to pursue what had caused Khari to zone out as he did but she felt it would be better just to change the subject. Khari laughed. It worked, she thought, letting out a hysterical giggle._

_"Because probably from the moment he was born he wanted to be a Texas Ranger. The boy was obsessed with the wild west. Usually he got whatever he wanted but he had to settle for Army Ranger. You wouldn't believe how little he settled."_

Khari listened carefully to Stephanie's story in an attempt to absorb every detail. When she was finished he sat back in the booth and sipped his coke slowly. He'd been surprised that she had wanted to meet at McDonalds. On arrival he saw by the two Big Mac containers and super-sized fries that she seemed to have a compulsion to eat when nervous. He looked across at Stephanie. She looked as though she might burst into tears. He glanced at Shiloh, who was seated next to him, but she was focusing on a Quarter Pounder. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"So this guy calls from Cuba saying that Joe asked him to do something for which he is owed money. It could have been about something else," Khari observed.

"No, no, it wasn't. He specifically said that it was about Ricardo Manoso," Stephanie argued. Her voice was high pitched and excited. Shiloh looked up.

"I'm not expert but I've read a lot of mysteries and people need motive. Why would your boyfriend want to see Ranger dead?" Khari shook his head at Shiloh. He was almost sure that the way she'd put the question would put Stephanie on edge. Stephanie's mouth had fallen open. Obviously she wasn't expecting the question. It took a few minutes to formulate an answer.

"I-I...H-He wouldn't want to see him dead," she stammered. "I-I really don't know why he'd do it." Shiloh smiled at Khari and pursued her line of questioning.

'Then why are you so sure that he did?" she asked. She calmly stirred the ice around in her coke not looking at Stephanie.

"I'm not," Stephanie hesitated before continuing to speak. "Look, Joe didn't like Ranger. I don't think that he believes that Ranger and I ever slept together or anything. Joe once wanted me to stay away from Ranger because he suspected that Ranger wanted to sleep with me...actually he said that Ranger looks at me like he does and maybe he was right. The fact remains that Ranger and I never slept together and I'm sure that Joe trusts me on that."

"So Joe asked you if you'd ever slept with Ranger?" Khari asked. Stephanie didn't seem put off by the lack of tact so why should he be?

"When we got back together Joe asked me to tell him if I'd ever been with Ranger while we were together. I told him that I'd never been with Ranger at all and he believed me. Look, I love Joe and it would kill me to see him get locked up but if he killed Ranger he killed Ranger. If I don't find out for sure I'll always wonder. Maybe at some point after we're married when we're fighting over this or that it would come up. I don't want it to happen that way...and if Joe did do this than he's not the man I thought he was." Stephanie took a deep and shaky breath. Khari nodded and glanced at Shiloh.

"Only one thing to do," Shiloh said. Khari nodded.

"What?" Stephanie asked looking back and forth between them.

"Wire you up and confront him. We'll be there if you need us and, if not, you know for sure."

"How would I explain the wire if he found out?" Stephanie asked nervously. "He'd think that I didn't trust him."

"Do you trust him?" Khari questioned. Stephanie stared at the table for a moment.

"Yes."

"Then what are we doing here?" Khari stared at her meaningfully.

"You're right," she whispered. "Let's do it."

An hour and a half later, Khari and Shiloh were seated in his SUV on the road behind Joe's house. They listened as Stephanie hummed while she popped things in and out of the microwave. Pino's, Shiloh thought drooling. Stephanie had stopped on the way home. They had heard Joe come in and listened nervously as he seemed to be playfully trying to entice Stephanie to join him in the shower. She kept giggling and, from the sound of feet, sounded like she was jumping back. They'd heard Joe's feet landing on the steps and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You think he did it?" Shiloh asked.

"Depends on if there's more to the story than she telling us. I get the idea that there is. He seemed like a nice guy. I wouldn't think he was capable but then I only met him once. He was up on charges once for murder and skipped bail. Who knows, maybe he got a lucky break when he was cleared." Khari shrugged.

"Maybe he..." she stopped speaking when they heard him coming down the stairs.

"This looks great, Cupcake," Shiloh groaned. Of all the terrible nicknames. Khari smiled tolerantly at her while listening carefully the conversation through the speakers. Chairs scraped the floor.

"Thanks. Should I make a salad or something? You gonna be fine with that?" Stephanie asked. She sounded very strained. Khari prayed that Joe wouldn't pick up on it.

"Are you okay, Cupcake? You seem really nervous and I don't know where you heard a word like 'salad.'" Damn! Khari thought. He mentally shrugged. He would have to be an idiot not to pick up on Stephanie's edge. They heard a metal utensil slowly scraping a plate.

"You got a call today," Stephanie said. "From Cuba. He said to tell you that he'd done what you asked and wants the balance of his money." Stephanie's voice sounded very sad.

"Wait. He doesn't speak English and you don't speak Spanish. How did he leave a message with you?" Joe didn't sound concerned but Khari was aware that it could be an act.

"He speaks Italian. They're not such different languages, Joe."

"You don't speak Italian, though." There was an edge of teasing to Joe's voice. He didn't seem concerned at all.

"Vai Affangulo, Joe," Stephanie answered.

"Impressive. Just cause you know some swear words doesn't mean you speak a language." Joe's voice sounded angry.

"Should we go in?" Shiloh asked. Khari held up his hand.

"Quello non è il punto, Joe. Perchè avete impiegato qualcuno per uccidere il Ranger?" Stephanie's voice screamed through the microphone. Shiloh sat straight up.

"We've got to get in there now."

"Why? What?" Khari said after Shiloh as she jumped from the SUV. He heard Joe's voice coming through the speakers low and dangerous.

"What did you just say?" he asked.

"I-I-I wanted you to know that I-I understood him," Stephanie answered nervously.

"What did you say, Steph?" Joe asked seeming to ignore her plaintive protest.

"Perchè avete impiegato qualcuno per uccidere il Ranger?" she whispered.

"Why in the hell would I want to kill Ranger and what in the hell would make you think that I would spend money to do it? Where did you get the idea that I hired someone, Steph?" He stopped speaking abruptly as Khari heard a door slam. "Who the hell are you?" Joe asked. His voice coming loud and clear from the speakers. Khari raced around the house and ran in through the front door. Joe was standing next to his chair wearing only boxer briefs. His hands were laced behind his head and Shiloh's Glock pointing into his back.

"What's going on here?" Joe asked Khari. Khari nodded to Shiloh and she lowered the Glock. Joe fell into a chair.

"You want to know about the phone call?" he asked. He turned to Steph. "After all this time I can't believe that you'd think that I would have someone killed. Shit, Steph, if I'd wanted Ranger dead I would have done it myself. Why in the hell would you think I'd want to kill Ranger?"

"Well..." she began. He cut her off.

"You told me nothing happened and I believed you. Were you lying to me, Cupcake?" Joe stared at her and she shook her head slowly.

"Nothing ever happened between us, Joe. I swear."

"Than why would you think that I wanted to kill Ranger?" he asked.

"It was the phone call. He said that it was about Ranger and that he'd done what you asked and you still owed him money. I couldn't think of anything else, Joe. Honest." Tears were pouring down Stephanie's face. "I had to do it." she said as she pulled out the wire. "I always would have wondered. I know you didn't, Joe. I guess I knew that you didn't then too." Khari cleared his throat and they looked in his direction.

"May I ask what the phone call was about?"

"I called a contact who hooked my up with someone in Cuba who could get me information about Ranger's dealings in that country. I was trying to help Steph out. I knew that he was doing things that weren't exactly legal and knew that he could have gotten himself killed that way." He turned back to Stephanie. "He was calling to tell me what he'd found out. He had to pay people off for information and needed to be reimbursed." She sighed deeply.

"Can you..." he stopped her again.

"I don't know, Cupcake. How could you think that I could do that?" his dark eyes were serious and she looked down at the table not able to hold his gaze. The moment had been too personal. Khari noticed that Shiloh blushed as she pretended to stare out of the kitchen window. A cell phone rang near Khari.

"My work phone. Could you toss it here?" Joe explained. Khari picked it up and handed it to him.

"Morelli...I'm off, Carl...yea...shit...yea...I'll be there." He flipped the phone shut and stared at Khari for a moment before speaking. Khari got the impression that he was being very careful not to look at Stephanie.

"You know a Lester Santos?" Joe asked. Khari noticed that Stephanie's eyes went very wide.

"Yea," he answered warily.

"He was found dead a few minutes ago," Joe said very seriously. Khari felt his knees going weak and noticed Stephanie's mouth falling open and a shocked expression pass over her face. "Carl called me because his last visitor was one Stephanie Plum." He looked back at Stephanie. Her head had fallen into her arms on the table and she was sobbing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Khari trailed Joe into the apartment noting as he walked through the foyer that everything looked as calm and cool as it always had. You would never know that someone had just been killed here. A pudgy uniformed cop stepped forward.

"Joe," he said patting the taller man's back. He nodded to Khari. "This the guy who knows the deceased?" Joe nodded.

"Khari Kaplan this is Carl Costanza. Carl is one of our newest homicide detectives." Khari shook his hand.

"Car-he, what kind of name is that?" Carl asked.

"Nigerian," he answered calmly. Khari noticed a physical change in Joe as he slipped from casual friend to cop mode.

"Where's the body?" Joe asked. Khari shivered at the mention of a body.

"Bedroom. This one is nasty. Jack the Ripper never did better," Carl said. His conversational tones didn't hide his desire to retch.

"Merda, slice and dice?"

"Yea," Carl confirmed. He nodded to Khari. "You may want to hang back while we cover the body to the neck. It's not pretty. We'll need you to identify."

"Shit, not again," Khari mumbled.

"What did you say?" Joe asked.

"Nothing," Khari grumbled. Joe and Carl stepped off together. Khari looked around the living room and noticed a picture of three little boys on the mantle. He walked over and picked it up. He stroked the heavy wood frame. Khari remembered the day that it was taken like it was yesterday. He and Lester had been six and they'd only recently met the 8 year old Ranger. Lester's 12 year old sister, Angelita, had taken them on the subway to Coney Island.

"We're ready for you," Joe's voice was so unexpected that Khari nearly dropped the picture. He placed the frame back on the mantle taking a last look at the two little Hispanic boys and the mountain of a boy that he'd been. He'd been over 5 feet tall and 100 lbs at the time. He was painfully aware of how much bigger than the older boy he was but Ranger had convinced him that size was an advantage and he never doubted the Ranger.

Khari took a deep breathe and followed Joe into the room. Everything was red. He turned to run from the room but Joe steadied him.

"Keep breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Only way to stay calm." Khari hadn't noticed how tense Joe and Carl seemed to be. Both were standing straight and seemed to be holding themselves above the room. Khari followed Joe's advice and breathed in and out slowly. The blood and tissue that had been splattered didn't look real. His breathing slowed as he convinced himself that this was one of Lester's jokes...a set up. Lester never did have a good sense of humor.

"What was Stephanie doing here?" he asked the question but barely recognized the voice as his own.

"I don't know what she was doing here today. As far as I know they had no plans to meet. Lester set Steph up with a trainer at the gun range and put her in a martial arts class. He was helping her get side jobs doing bodyguard work. It was just damn unlucky for her to be here today," Joe explained. He shook his head. "I just don't know how she falls into these things."

The words were garbled to Khari. He had spotted the lump on the bed that had been covered with a black silk sheet. As he stepped forward he realized that the sheet had been dark blue. The blood had turned it black as night. He turned breathing raggedly. He closed his eyes and focused on the breathing.

"In through the nose and out through the mouth," he heard Joe chanting. It wasn't working anymore. He could smell the blood now. He stepped closer to the bed and opened his eyes. Lester's arm was pulled taunt, one wrist cuffed to the brass headboard. He was smiling and looked happy. His last moments hadn't been traumatic. Khari sighed. He could tell Lita that Lester had died quickly. His body straightened sharply. Lita. He would have to tell her yet again that she had lost someone that she loved.

"It's him," he said as he turned to walk from the room. He stopped not turning to look at the two cops. "I'll call the family." He couldn't have them hearing this over the phone. He would leave for New York now.

Shiloh was outside of Lester's building leaning against Stephanie's Honda CRV. She stared impatiently up at where she thought Lester's balcony might be.

"Are you going to wait until he comes out? The ambulance isn't even here to take the body to the morgue. They could be in there for hours." Shiloh asked. She cringed inwardly at how irritated she sounded. She looked back to see that Stephanie wasn't looking at her. She was staring sadly at the steering wheel.

"Do you want to go home, Steph?" she asked softly. She seemed to shake herself away from the sad thoughts and managed a small smile.

"You know, I really didn't think about it at the time but Lester said that he was going to have to leave town. He said that he had too many 'conflicting interests' on his tail. I just laughed when he said that. I figured that he knew how to take care of himself. I wonder what happened." She stared up as though she was focusing on the very window. "Ranger was my mentor first. He introduced me to Lester. I wanted to make a change and he said that Lester could help me. Now they're both dead. I feel like it's my fault."

"How could it be your fault?" Shiloh asked. She turned to watch for a reaction. Why would a friend have survivor's guilt unless she had a hand in the murders? Stephanie just sighed and hung her head a little lower.

"Things like this seem to happen around me."

"Oh, well, I'm sure this has nothing to do with you," Shiloh assured her absently. Khari emerged from the building and she hurried over to him.

"What's going on?" she asked excitedly.

"Lester was chained to the bed and gutted like a fish. It's a mess up there," Khari said. He looked rather pale under his ebony skin and the sunlight caught beads of sweat on his face.

"What do we do now?" Shiloh asked. Stephanie came up behind her.

"Is Joe coming down?" she asked peering around him.

"Nah. He's going to be up there for a while with the forensic team," Khari said turning to her. He led her over to a bench in front of the building and pushed her down lightly. He sat next to her and took her small hand gently.

"What were you doing here, Stephanie?" he asked softly.

"Joe came to see me this morning. He said that Ranger had been killed with steroids and I recognized the name. I know that Lester has been using those kinds of steroids since I've known him. He says that they're more powerful than the regular stuff and help him build mass. I came over here to talk to him. I guess I just wanted to know if Ranger used it too. He laughed and said that Ranger was killed and that he knew he was gonna die and had asked Lester to watch the man who had probably killed him. Lester wouldn't tell me who it was. He said that I did not have the willpower of a Lorena Encinas. I asked him who that was. He said maybe next time he would explain but that I needed to go as he was meeting someone. He hugged me and kissed me on the forehead and said to go home to my 'Solamente amante.'" By the end her eyes were glassy and her hands were folded in her lap. She was sitting up very straight. "I'll bet he was meeting Lorena Encinas and she was the one who killed him." Tank smiled gently.

"I doubt that. She died several years ago," he said softly. "She went to the grave without telling anyone that in 1942 she saw her brother, Louis, kill Jose' Dias. Instead she went to a jail leaving her husband and infant son." Stephanie's eyes were wide. "It's what led to the 'Zoot Suit Riots' in Los Angeles. Many of the Latino girls are encouraged to emulate how far Lorena went to protect her family."

"Wow," Stephanie answered her eyes wide. "He's right. I am no Lorena Encinas. If he'd told me right then who he thought killed Ranger I would have told Joe before I left the parking lot. Wouldn't have mattered if it was my own mother." she hesitated. "Maybe it would have mattered if it was own mother. It would have mattered with Joe too. I'm always jumping to conclusions. I need to think things through. What we did today was a huge mistake. I wouldn't blame Joe if he wanted me to pack up and leave before he gets home."

"Deep down he understands," Khari assured her. "You just have to give him time to think it out himself." He sighed again wondering how he'd react if someone who was supposed to love him accused him of hiring a hit man. Not good, he decided. They all looked up as the ambulance pulled up and Joe and Carl stepped out into the sunshine. Joe looked around trying to adjust his eyes to the bright light and then strode over to them. He took one look at Stephanie and went to his knees wrapping his arms around her.

"Merda," he whispered pressing his face to Stephanie's as they wheeled the stretcher to the ambulance. Lester was in a body bag but Joe could still see him as clearly as if he were in front of him. Stephanie started to pull back when she heard the wheels on the pavement.

"No, don't look, Cupcake," he whispered. "I need to know that you're not going to see that."

"Okay Joe," she responded. He felt her lashes brush his cheek as her eyes closed. They sat there until the ambulance pulled away. After a few minutes Joe pulled back and brushed away the tears that were spilling down Stephanie's cheeks.

"It's time for you to stop grasping at straws and for us to get down to business," he informed her. He looked up at Khari. "I'll help you with the inside stuff that you wouldn't otherwise have but you're going to have to talk to the sources who won't talk to me. I've been digging but I've only gotten so far before hitting a brick wall."

"You think this is connected with Ranger's death?" Khari asked.

"Hell, yea, don't you?" Khari hadn't suspected otherwise since he'd heard that Lester had been killed.

"Yea. First thing to do is to find out who met him after Stephanie. He was expecting the person because he got rid of Steph to see her. It has to be a her because he was handcuffed to the bed..." Stephanie cut him off with a discreet cough. Everyone looked at her.

"Doesn't have to be a woman," she suggested. Khari laughed.

"I don't think that Lester would have let a man handcuff him to the bed," he scoffed.

"He might have," Stephanie said. Her voice was low and eyes wide. Joe started to speak and then closed his mouth.

"He wasn't though, was he?" Khari asked. Everyone but Stephanie seemed locked in confusion. She sighed heavily.

"He was gay," she supplied. Mouths dropped open.

"But..." Shiloh began.

"No way," Khari said. "I would have known. He would have told me."

"He didn't want anyone to know. He made me swear that I would never tell anyone." Stephanie said realizing that she had betrayed his trust. He wasn't likely to care now that he was dead.

"Are you sure?" Joe asked.

"How would I be sure, Joe?" she asked starting to get angry. "I just know what he told me. Sure, he hit on a lot of women but he was all an act. You seriously don't think he'd be a success at what he does if he was sleeping with as many women as he pretended to sleep with?"

"Shit," Khari said falling to the bench stunned. You grow up with a guy, bleed with the guy, shower with the guy, and...he allowed his train of thought to derail right there. He would not think that Lester was looking at him in THAT way. It was too creepy.

"You know anything else that I should know, Steph?" Khari asked testily.

"N-No," she stammered. Joe stepped in front of her.

"Give her a break. Before he died it wasn't any of your business what side of the fence he was on," Joe crossed his arms and scowled. Shiloh started fingering her gun. This could get nasty. She broke in.

"We need to focus on what we're gonna do next," she said nervously.

"I don't know what you guys are doing but I'm going to New York to talk to Lita. I hate to say it, Stephanie, but I think you're full of shit. Lester was running some kind of game up under you. I don't know why he would tell you that he was gay when I know that he's not." Khari stood. Joe stepped in front of him blocking his way to the parking lot.

"Are you calling my girlfriend a liar?" he asked, dark eyes menacing.

"I guess I am, Morelli."

"I suggest that you apologize to her now," Joe said standing taller. Shiloh and Stephanie stood back watching the men preen. Shiloh pulled her Glock out of her shoulder holster and walked over to Khari. She pointed her gun at Joe's crotch.

"**I** suggest that you step off or you're gonna lose something you don't want to lose." She turned to Khari. "And I suggest you get over wondering how many times Lester checked out your ass and we get down to business. If we're going to New York get in the car. I'll drive the first leg." Khari started moving slowly to the car and Shiloh put her gun back in the holster.

"We'll call you," she called back to the stunned Stephanie and Joe.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Khari stared at the brownstone. The Village had not been a usual hangout for him as a child but Ranger could afford to keep his ex-wife in style.

"You can't put it off forever," Shiloh said from the driver's seat.

"Just watch me," Khari mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's the middle of the day. She's probably not home anyway," he said. "Let's go get something to eat."

"Do you want me to tell her?" Shiloh asked placing her hand on his knee. He jumped back. Nice move, Shiloh, she chastised. Khari sighed.

"No, I've got to do it. She's family. I can't let a stranger tell her. I let the police tell her when her other brother, Miguel, was killed. I should have told her then but couldn't," he said sadly.

"What happened?" Shiloh asked.

"Shot down in the street right in front of me. Gang problems. I didn't do anything. I should have done something." Khari shook his head.

"What could you have done?"

"Told her. I could have told her," Khari answered. He opened the car door. "Wait for me, okay?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Shiloh answered saluting. Khari nodded and walked up the steps to the stoop. He knocked and a little girl who looked shockingly like Ranger opened the door.

"Uncle Khari," she screamed throwing her arms around his legs. He smiled and tousled her dark curls.

"Hi Analise, your Mom in?"

"No, she went to see daddy's lawyer. Who's the lady in the car?" Analise asked kneeling so that she could see through the window to the person in the driver's side.

"That's Shiloh Page. She worked for your daddy. She's a nice lady. You'll like her a lot," Khari explained waving for Shiloh to join him.

"Should I call her Aunt Shiloh?" the shrewd child asked.

"No. We're just co-workers," Khari answered.

"You okay?" Shiloh asked coming up to stand next to him.

"Yea fine," Khari said. "Lita is out seeing Ranger's lawyer. We'll hang around here until she gets back. This is Analise, Ranger's daughter." The little girl stepped foreword and extended her hand.

"Pleased to meet you," she said solemnly. "Is this my daddy's girlfriend?"

"No, why would you ask that?" Khari asked.

"She looks like the picture that my daddy showed me of his girlfriend." Analise said shrugging. Khari glanced at Shiloh suspiciously.

"You mean that your daddy's girlfriend had blonde hair or that this woman looks like her," he pressed.

"She looks like her. I'm gonna tell Grandma that you're here." Analise skipped off. Khari crossed his arms and leaned back. He stared at Shiloh for a few moments but she showed no signs of cracking.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

"So maybe I wasn't completely honest about my relationship with Ranger," she said nonchalantly. "We sure as hell didn't have the kind of relationship where he'd be showing pictures. He was probably just trying to get under the ex's skin."

"So it was sex?" Khari asked bluntly.

"Yea, that's about it. We'd work late together and then spend some time releasing tension afterward. Nothing serious or anything." She shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?"

"Why should I? It wasn't anything and I didn't kill him so I didn't think it mattered." She was starting to shift from foot to foot. She was either embarrassed or hiding something. Khari voted for hiding something.

"It matters now because it looks like you were hiding something," Khari explained.

"Well, I wasn't and it's really none of your business anyway so drop it," she said testily.

"Okay," Khari said holding up his hands. She was right, lots of women had sex with Ranger and it was nothing. It didn't explain why she'd given him the song and dance about how they were coworkers and respected each other.

"In case you were wondering it's true what they say about men with big muscles." She held up a pinkie finger.

"Dammit Shiloh!" Khari exploded. The door opened and Lita walked in.

"What's going on here?" she asked. Khari hurried over to her and took the bag that she was carrying. He kissed her cheek. Lita was in her late thirties but looked much as she had in her early 20's. Her olive skin was unlined and her brown eyes wide. Her hair fell in masses of curls to the middle of her back and was swept up with a comb. She was wearing a long fur jacket that made Shiloh feel as though it was screaming to be splattered with red paint. She sighed.

"Let's get a drink," she said showing them through to a comfortable looking sitting room. She unlocked a sideboard cabinet and pulled out liquor decanters. "Can I get either of you anything toxic?" She asked.

"No, but pour yourself a double," Shiloh suggested. "We have some bad news."

"Not any more bad news, please," Lita said holding up her hand. "I'm not sure that I could take it right now. That bitch of a lawyer wouldn't tell me anything about Ranger's finances. It's not like we need any money yet but does dying get him out of child support? Shouldn't his estate be paying or something?" Khari stopped her. He took her arm and led her to a chair. He sat on the footstool and placed his hands on her knees taking a deep breathe. Shiloh sat across from him marveling at what a cold hearted bitch this woman seemed to be. Her ex-husband was dead and she was worried about money. She inwardly shrugged probably a lot of people would see it as cold heart but really it was practical. Wouldn't anyone faced with a loss of income wonder how they were going to feed their child?

"Lita..." he began.

"Oh shit, what now?" she asked. She took a long gulp of the gin she'd poured.

"It's Lester," Khari said. He took another deep breathe and noticed that Lita's eyes had started to tear.

"He's not?" she asked shakily.

"He is. I'm so sorry," Khari confirmed wrapping his arms around her. Lita began to sob.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I saw him," he said sadly. "I identified him."

"Thank you," she whispered. She sat up and wiped her eyes as her daughter entered the room.

"What's wrong, mommy?" Analise asked. An older Hispanic woman had followed her into the room carrying a tray holding coffee cups.

"Uncle Lester had an accident, honey. Momma?" The older woman had dropped the tray and was starting to fall. Khari caught her and led her to the couch while Lita hugged her daughter.

"Is he going to be okay?" the child asked.

"No, honey." Lita clung to Analise as the realization came over her that he was dead. Analise shrugged from her mother's grip and left the room. "I'm worried about her. I don't know how much she understands. She's only 10 years old."

"She seems to understand enough," Shiloh observed. Lita looked at her as though seeing her for the first time.

"I'm sorry, have we met? You look familiar." Lita peered at the younger woman.

"Shiloh Page," she said extending her hand.

"You were my husband's girlfriend?" Lita asked.

"I worked for your husband," Shiloh clarified.

"There was nothing more?"

"Not really," she lied.

"I feel like Nancy Drew," Stephanie giggled from her position in front of Joe's laptop computer at the dining room table.

"Keep looking through those files for reference to names," Joe suggested. "Just make a note of the reports numbers where Lester Santos name comes up. Too bad there's no easy way to cross-reference. Trenton P.D. should take a step into the 21st century."

"Slave driver," Stephanie muttered.

"Hey, don't you start sassing me. I gave you an alternative to doing that but you said that we needed to get this done and didn't have time to go upstairs," he teased.

"Maybe I was wrong," she admitted.

"Well, you can't change your mind now. I could get into serious trouble hacking into these files. We need to get this done." Joe turned back to the list that he was making of people to talk to about Ranger's activities. He had already called a few and had hit walls. Maybe Khari would have better luck.

"They're going to know that you were in there anyway."

"Not necessarily if we get this done before they catch anything," Joe explained. "Back to work."

"I know someone who's not gonna have any fun for awhile," Stephanie grumbled.

"Yea, you. Back to work, Cupcake." She turned back to the screen and stared at the names until they blended together.

Khari dropped Shiloh off and rushed home just in time to get ready for his date with Aziza. He'd wanted to pick her up but instead she'd insisted that they meet at the restaurant. He was happy now that she'd made that choice as he would have been horribly late to pick her up given their reservation time. She was already seated at a table in Rossini's when he arrived. She smiled and waved when she saw him come in.

"I wondered if you were going to make it," she said amiably. He smiled happily. She was wearing a red halter dress with a short chiffon skirt that looked very innocent on her. Her dark skin glowed in the candlelight.

"You look very nice," he said. His throat felt very dry so he picked his glass up and drank it down in one gulp some of the water escaped and landed to bead on his shirt. He tried to brush the water away but it soaked in. Aziza laughed.

"Thanks. You look great too." Khari had chosen to wear a slate blue shirt with a blue, mauve and gray tie. He hoped that his khaki's didn't look odd in the setting. He had planned to wear a suit but Shiloh had convinced him on the way back from New York that he would be overdressed. They looked over the menu and consulted each other before ordering. Khari smiled at Aziza. She was a really nice take home to mom kind of girl. Too bad about her job. He shivered as he remembered seeing Lester today.

"Are you okay?" she asked noticing his unease.

"Yea, it's..." he paused. "I lost a friend today. Brutal murder." He could feel his eyes tearing up but shook himself. He could be sad but it would be stupid to cry in front of his date. He felt her hand touching his arm and then her arms wrapping around his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," she said before going back to her seat. Khari smiled weakly.

"I think that maybe I got him today. Lester Santos?" she asked. He nodded. "Brutal. He didn't feel a thing though."

"What do you mean?" Khari asked curiously.

"He was set up to look like he died from his...wounds. He didn't." Khari was dumbfounded. What was she saying?

"Actually," she continued. "In light of his death the result of the inquest for your other friend, Mr. Manoso, was changed to homicide. Mr. Santos actually died of a massive stroke caused by the steroid, Methandrostenelone. It's a veterinary steroid usually used on horses. It's for the serious steroid user. The difference from Mr. Manoso is that Mr. Santos seems to have been using that particular steroid for sometime. In light of that we could have ruled his death an accident."

"What changed your mind?" Khari asked. They paused while the waiter set their plates in front of them. Khari wasn't interested in the food. This was almost too much of a coincidence.

"Mr. Santos had somehow ingested another drug from the Benzodiazepine family. Mr Manoso was also found to have the same drug in his system. I found that to be too much of a coincidence so I called the detective assigned to the Santos case." Khari worked the information over in his mind while Aziza tasted her food. She made an appreciative noise.

"This is to die for," she proclaimed. Khari laughed.

"An unfortunate expression given your chosen profession," he said. Aziza laughed.

"I guess it is," she agreed.

"So could it be supposed that someone shot or fed Ranger and Lester the Benzodiazepine and shot them with overdoses of Methandrostenelone when they fell asleep?" Khari suggested.

"I would consider that a likely scenario considering the amount of drugs that both men had in their systems." Aziza agreed.

"Who would have access to drugs like that?" Khari asked.

"The Benzodiazepine was prescription grade. Just a large quantity. I would guess that if you find the source of the Methandrostenelone, which is illegal, you'd be well on your way to finding your killer." Aziza took another bite of her food. Khari stared into space his food untouched. She laughed lightly.

"Maybe you'd better go call whoever you're thinking of calling so that we can enjoy the rest of this evening," Aziza suggested. Khari chuckled lightly.

"Sorry," he said pulling his cell phone from his pocket. "Not even ten minutes, I promise." He rushed for the door. He was forced to leaf through the phone book for the number that he wanted. He dialed and waited impatiently.

"Joe!" he said when the phone was answered. "I need your help finding a drug dealer."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

"I can't really tell you why I need it done, Daddy, can you do it?" Shiloh pleaded. She'd been tempted to call and cancel the weekly dinner with her father when it struck her that he could be of some use. Shiloh gave her father the look that was half between puppy and pleading and knew that he wouldn't be able to refuse her. Senator Patrick Page was a short and slight man and looked rather like his daughter with his sparkling blue eyes and blond hair. He'd just celebrated his 61st birthday and speculation on the Senate floor was that he'd be the next Republican to run for President. Ranger had been hoping that a connection to Shiloh's father would prove lucrative, he hadn't counted on Shiloh's unwillingness to let him be used by anyone but herself. Senator Page paused almost too long for Shiloh's comfort level before answering.

"What were those names again?" he asked pulling a notebook from his pocket. She started breathing again. The older she grew the harder it got to get what she wanted from him. She knew that she was working on borrowed time even now. His new wife, a girl only slightly younger than herself, was pregnant and soon Shiloh would no longer be the only game in town.

" Ricardo Manoso, Lester Santos, Joseph Morelli," she paused. "and Khari Kaplan."

"Why do you want so much in depth information?" her father asked. "I may have a little problem with the military but I'll get you what I can." He added as an afterthought before waiting for her to answer his question.

"I'm helping Kaplan investigate the murders of Santos and Manoso," she answered. "Morelli's involved. There's also a woman but I don't think you'd find anything on her. She's a bounty hunter and pretty popular in the local press but she doesn't seem to be anyone special."

"I'll see what I can do," Senator Page said stuffing the notebook back into his pocket. He sipped his soup.

"You know Barbara makes an excellent soup rather like this," he said looking up at his daughter. "You should stop by for dinner sometime. We could eat like a real family."

"Mother makes an excellent soup, Daddy. Barbara probably opens a can. She probably doesn't even open the can. Probably has the maid do it so that she doesn't break a nail," Shiloh said viciously. "If you want a real family dinner, Daddy, you should stop at mother's sometime." Senator Page sighed heavily. Shiloh's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You know how it goes, Daddy. She used me to get to you and anyone who uses me doesn't have long to live. You just keep your little wife in her corner and I won't be tempted to do anything from mine."

Joe placed the receiver back in the cradle and stared at Stephanie thoughtfully. She'd pulled a comfortably stuffed wing backed chair from the living room and had pulled a dining room chair around for her feet. He chuckled to himself. She watched him expectantly.

"I need to go out," he said after a few minutes.

"Can I come?" she asked jumping up.

"Stay here and keep going through those reports. I won't be gone long." He started walking for the door and turned back to her.

"You still have Lester's rap sheet right there?" he asked. Stephanie picked the paper up and waved it.

"Was he currently up for anything?" Stephanie scanned the sheet.

"Assault," she said finally.

"Merda. Any drug convictions?" Joe asked.

"Two. Paraphernalia and possession with intent to sell." Stephanie looked a little closer at the sheet. "Both a few years ago. Boy, he has a ton of convictions for assault too. He always seemed so sweet to me. Must have one hell of a temper."

"Drugs can do that you, Cupcake." He grabbed a leather jacket. "I'll bring you home a special treat if you find me something good. You have the cell phone number." Stephanie nodded. Joe turned to the door.

"I want ice cream. Ben and Jerry's," she called after him. "Don't do anything lame like you did last time walking in naked." He laughed as he closed the door and headed for his Ducati. Damn. That blew his surprise. He'd actually have to stop somewhere now.

Joe nodded to the desk sergeant as he walked through the lobby of the police station.

"How's it goin', Morelli? Didn't know you were on tonight," Sergeant Dan Gzvod asked. Gzovd was a slight man who looked to be about 25. His light brown hair was already thinning.

"Pretty good. I'm lookin' for Costanza. He still around?" Joe asked. Gzvod shrugged.

"He may be workin' overtime on that Santos case. He's taking it pretty serious but Gaspick is bucking for accident so I'm thinking they'll go that way," he said casually.

"Gaspick? What's he got to do with it?" Joe asked. He was surprised that with the man being gutted they would shelve the matter so quickly.

"He's assisting on the case. Made detective now that our guys are shipping to New York for relief. Damn shame about all those good officers. I'm collecting you know." He picked a white can up and shook it. Joe could read " New York City Relief Fund" on the side. He pulled out his wallet and shoved a $50 into the can.

"Damn shame," he said remembering his many friends who had died when the towers collapsed while attempting to save those people still trapped inside. Joe promised to stop again on the way out and headed back into the station. He found Gaspick at his desk.

"Where's Carl?" he asked leaning against the opposite desk and crossing his arms.

"He was following up on a lead and wanted to stop in after to check on your girlfriend. We need a statement but he's bucking to give her time," Gaspick answered blandly.

"What's going on with the case?" Joe asked casually. He struggled to look relaxed perching himself on the edge of a desk.

"We're looking at a ruling from the forensic pathologist. She says that he died from a stroke caused by the steroids and was cut up after. I don't think it'll go to inquest. The case is open and shut accidental. No need to waste any more of the taxpayers time or money on the scumbag." Gaspick's expression was one of pure hate.

"The man was cut open. That was no accident," Joe protested vehemently. Gaspick jumped from his seat and leaned over the desk.

"He was a scumbag!" he yelled. "Have you seen the man's fucking rap sheet? He never spent one day in jail! Three convictions for assault and he was up again. Two drug convictions. The man was getting away with murder. Who cares if he died? He's dead and gone and he's never gonna waste another dime of the money that I send to Uncle Sam. You think I'm gonna waste my time investigating the murders of guys like Manoso and Santos? You have fucking lost your mind! Hell, I'd give the guy who killed them a fucking medal if I could." Gaspick's eyes were flashing. For a split second a thought flashed through Joe's mind that this man was capable of murder. Joe leaned across the desk until he was nose to nose with Gaspick. His eyes were black and cold.

"Our job is to protect the people - all of the people. You didn't like Ranger and Lester? Who cares? It's your job as an officer of the law to dig until you come to the truth. Everyone deserves that. You got me, Gaspick?" Joe's tone was low and dangerous.

"That's your opinion, Morelli. How do I know you didn't kill Santos. Everyone knows he was doin' your girlfriend." Gaspick seemed to instantly regret the words. Joe's posture relaxed and he leaned back on the desk smiling amiably.

"Just because everyone knew doesn't mean I did. He was a damn nice guy and he was Steph's friend. There was nothing more than that. I have no reason whatever to want to see him dead." Joe pushed away from the desk and headed to the door. "Tell Costanza to call me." He called back to the baffled but relieved officer.

Joe thought about what Gaspick had said as he made his way home. From the end of the street he saw flashing lights and noticed that police cars were lined up in front of his house. He hoped that nothing had happened to his elderly neighbor and was just running up to check when he noticed Stephanie wrapped in a blanket and seated on the sidewalk. He ran over to her and fell to his knees.

"Are you okay, Cupcake? What happened?" She stared up at him blankly. Carl walked over and Joe grabbed his arm.

"What happened here?" he asked anxiously. Carl pulled him away from Stephanie.

"I stopped by to check on Steph and noticed that the door was open. I walked in and some big muscled guy in a mask had her. She hasn't talked to me yet so I don't know what he was trying to do. The way he had her over the table and the way that her shirt is torn my guess would be rape. He ran when I came in and she started shaking and hasn't said a word to me." Carl nodded at Stephanie. Joe saw that she'd wrapped her arms around her knees and had buried her face.

"Shit," he whispered. "You didn't get anything? Tattoos?" He paused trying to think of other identifying marks but was too shaken.

"No, sorry, man. Steph got a closer look. If we could get her to talk..." his voice trailed off as Stephanie started to shake.

"I'll see what I can get," Joe said running to her side.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

Khari remembered that he'd forgotten to turn his cell phone off when it started ringing. He glanced at Aziza and she smiled and nodded her permission. He flipped the phone open and hit the button to answer the call.

"What?" he asked. His voice was a little edgier than he'd meant it to be. He listened carefully for a few minutes before his face fell and guilt sent in.

"I'm really sorry to bug you but Steph has been attacked. She's not talking. I know this has something to do with...shit. I've got to go," Joe said abruptly.

"Should I come over?" Khari asked.

"No. Come to the hospital. Steph's spitting up blood. OH FUCK. There's blood gushing out of her mouth. They're trying to figure out...Oh fuck! St. Francis. Be there." The phone disconnected and Khari sighed heavily. He turned to Aziza.

"I have really had a nice time but I'm going to have to take you home now. Nature of the job," he said waving the phone.

"That's okay," she said smiling warmly. "I've had a really nice time too. Maybe we could do it again sometime?" Her voice was hopeful.

"Definitely," he answered kissing her lightly.

"Wha da fud iss you poblem, Doe?" Stephanie asked. Joe was pacing when Khari entered the room. Stephanie's mouth was swollen from the anesthetic.

'What happened?" he asked touching her cheek gently.

"Cazy bathard tied to tut my tug ow," Stephanie answered.

"What?" Khari asked looking from Stephanie to Joe.

"Allow me to translate," Joe said moodily, "'Crazy bastard tried to cut my tongue out.' Per il del dio, Cupcake. What part of 'try not to talk' didn't you understand? It's why she couldn't talk earlier. She wasn't in shock. Her mouth was filling up with blood. The doctor just stitched it up."

"I am tieing nut to taag," Stephanie said looking very earnest. Joe rolled his eyes at her.

"Not since I've been here and...wait...I've been here the whole freaking time!" Stephanie narrowed her eyes at him.

"I wat coffee," she said moodily.

"No!" Joe said turning to Khari.

"Ice Cream!" she attempted to yell.

"What a surprise the only two words she can still say perfectly clearly," Joe said laughing. Stephanie couldn't keep herself from breaking down and laughing too. Khari shook his head as Shiloh entered the room. Khari motioned that they should go into the hallway.

"You!" Joe called back to Stephanie, "You stay right there and no talking!"

Stephanie stuck her tongue out at him and winced. He laughed.

"Serves you right," Joe said. He walked over and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I'll see if I can get you some ice cream." Stephanie gave a choked squeal and hooked her arms around his neck pulling him close.

"Let's give them some time," Khari whispered to Shiloh. They stepped out into the hall. What was she doing here? Khari wondered. He'd meant to call her but had forgotten. Joe must have called her. He inwardly shrugged.

"What happened to her?" Shiloh asked.

"Someone tried to cut out her tongue. That's all I know. I just got here," Khari explained. Carl Costanza exited the elevator and walked over to them.

"She been released?" he asked nodding toward the room.

"Nah, Joe's in with her so we're giving them some private time. Carl, this is Shiloh Page. Carl is a homicide detective," Khari said. Carl took Shiloh's extended hand and smiled shyly at her. "He was on the scene for Ranger and Lester," Khari added meaningfully.

"I wasn't there for Ranger. I was the detective on the scene for Santos. Not pretty. I'm sorry...you...I probably shouldn't tell you that," he stumbled over his words as Shiloh smiled politely at him.

"Why not?" she asked.

"It's not something a lady should hear," he said.

"Jesus Christ!" she exploded and then started laughing, "You're not real, right? Ooooooo...wait, I get it. You're some cryogenics project. Who was president when they froze you? What do you think of 2002 with our magical electric lights and flush toilets?"

"What?" Carl said sounding confused.

"I'm sorry," Shiloh said still laughing so hard that she was having trouble breathing. "You're just priceless." Carl frowned deeply realizing that being priceless may not be what it was cracked up to be. The door to Stephanie's room opened and Joe stepped into the hallway.

"What is going on out here?" he asked noting Shiloh's trouble breathing.

"Nothing," Carl said looking testy. Khari led the group away from the door to some benches against the wall.

"What do we know?" he asked seriously.

"First off, Steph says that she's sure that knows the man who attacked her but she can't place him. If we give her time and she remembers we pretty much have this case wrapped up. Whoever jumped her thinks that Ranger told her something that she claims not to know," Joe paused and everyone watched him expectantly, "She says that Ranger never told her anything for fear that something like this would happen."

"Did the guy give any hint as to what he thought she knew?" Khari asked thoughtfully.

"I asked but she said that he was too eager to cut out her tongue. The odd thing was that he giggled when he drew blood. Why would a grown man get so giddy over blood?" Joe questioned.

"He's crazy?" Shiloh suggested. Joe turned and pointed at her.

"Best idea I've heard," he agreed laughing nervously.

"There's just one thing that I want to know," Shiloh began thoughtfully. "How did Stephanie get **Vincent Plum Bail Bonds** from Ranger?"

"She bought it from Vinnie," Joe said. He turned to Khari, "Didn't she?"

"I don't know, man. Shiloh handled most of Ranger's properties." And a bit more, he thought bitterly. "She said that he owned it and told her not to bother with managing."

"We were only the controlling interest," Shiloh added. Joe was already headed through to door to Stephanie's room. Carl was on his heels.

"Cupcake," Joe said gently, "How did you get Ranger to sell you the bail bond company?" There was a fire in his eyes that made Stephanie sit up.

"W-Wha do you mea? I boug ih fra Vinnie," Stephanie protested gently.

"No you didn't buy it from Vinnie," Joe argued. "Tell me." Shiloh and Khari shivered at the cold and dangerous tone of Joe's voice. Stephanie hung her head and took a deep breath before she started speaking again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

Stephanie took a deep breath before she started to speak. Probably as much to settle herself as to prepare for the pain that would come from speaking. She spoke slowly enunciating carefully.

"You know I was saving to buy Vinnie out," she directed at Joe. He nodded. "I finally had enough and I made an offer. He told me to go to hell. I was prepared for that and handed pictures of him with Joyce to his father-in-law. That's what set him on the run. Probably I should have planned a bit better because he sold the business to Ranger at a cut rate price. I didn't know anything about it until Ranger approached me and offered me a managing interest in exchange for part ownership." She paused as if catching her breath.

"So how'd you get the company from Ranger?" Khari asked. "I'm guessing he didn't give it up without a fight?" Stephanie winced slightly and took another deep breath before answering.

"That's the strange thing, he did. I tried to blackmail him and he laughed at me. I thought for sure at that moment that I was dead but he said that I had balls and he liked that in a woman. He said that he would sell it to me on one condition. He found a deck of cards somewhere and said that if he got the higher card things would stay as they were. If I got the higher card I could buy the business for what I'd saved. I pulled the higher card." She shrugged effectively ending her story.

"Bullshit," Shiloh said laughing.

"Nah, I think it's true," Khari said. "Only a true story could be that stupid."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Joe asked.

"Would you have believed me? I know you wouldn't have. You knew that I was saving for the business and assumed that I bought it from Vinnie. Why should I tell you anything different?" Stephanie shook her head sadly. "As stupid as this makes me sound - hand to God - it happened." Everyone stood silently absorbing the information until Khari broke the silence.

"Did you attacker give you any indication of what he thought you knew?" he asked.

"No. He seemed giddy once the blood started pouring from the cut he was making in my tongue. He just rambled about how Ranger must have told me something and he would find out what it was." She shivered as she spoke and Joe wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Her face took on a pained expression again and Joe asked in a whisper if she needed something for pain. She shook her head.

"Let me know, okay?" he said gently. She nodded.

"Do you remember anything about him? Did you see anything that might identify him?" Khari asked.

"No, except that he was male and had really dark skin," Steph said focusing on some distant point of the room. She was going over the incident in her mind. He lifted his arm and she heard her shirt rip and..."Wait!" All eyes were on her as she clutched Joe's arm.

"He had a tattoo on his forearm. A pig in a leather jacket and hat. Harley Davidson." She looked around the room her eyes wild. I know I've seen it before. I know I've seen him before." Her words started to run together as she became excited. "It was dancing. I thought it was dancing when we were struggling and it distracted me."

Khari threw a meaningful look Shiloh's way and they headed out into the hallway.

"Who else is gonna have a tattoo like that on their forearm?" Shiloh asked as the door closed behind her.

"Why would he do it?" Khari asked. "I never thought he was crazy and I can't see any motive other than crazy for attacking Stephanie. I know he didn't kill Ranger because we were on a job at the time. Why would he kill Lester and then cut him up? With the bloodlust that Steph describes I'd think he'd want him alive and screaming for the slice and dice."

"Maybe we should go kick his ass," Shiloh whispered as Carl exited the room and approached them.

"Yea, that'll do a whole hell of a lot of good," Khari responded.

"You know who it is, don't you," Carl asked.

"Boy, you're really quick," Shiloh jeered. Khari shot her a warning glance.

"Tone it down, Page," he said in a low voice. He turned to Carl. "We have an idea of who it might have been but I'd really like to talk to him first."

"I can't let you do that. This guy has killed twice and tried to kill Stephanie. This a police matter and I think you should let us handle it." Carl stood a little taller as he spoke. Shiloh rolled her eyes.

"Cut the macho cop crap..." Shiloh began. She stopped when she caught Khari's hostile glare.

"We don't know who it is. We're just guessing. You know, Shiloh, the more I think about it the more convinced I am that we're wrong about this. " Khari hoped that she would follow him.

"You're right," she said sadly. She turned to Carl, "Sorry we can't help you." The glint in her eye told anybody that she was anything but sorry.

"I hope that you two know what you're doing," Carl said ominously before stalking to the elevator. They watched as he got on and the doors closed. Shiloh giggled nervously.

"We ready to bust Baron's ass?" she asked.

"Hell yea," Khari said as he started for the stairs.

Baron Brown was at home watching wrestling when Khari and Shiloh pulled up. Khari hurried to the open door and pounded as hard as he could startling Baron and causing him to spill his beer. Khari and Ranger had met Baron's brother, Bobby, while in the military. When Ranger had first started Rangeman, Baron had worked for him. He now mostly freelanced with his brother Bobby on special op assignments that Ranger would hand down. Baron was 6'2" and built like an ebony brick wall. Khari could tell that age and time no longer spent at the gym was catching up on him. The belly was prominently displayed like a bubble in the middle of a level on his body.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Kaplan?" Baron asked irritated. "You can give a man a fucking heart attack doing mess like that."

"It's gonna be the beer and pork rinds giving you the heart attack. What were you doing earlier today?" he asked deciding to waste no time with pleasantries.

"Why you want to know?" Baron asked suspiciously.

"Some crazy running around with a tattoo like yours tried to cut Stephanie Plum's tongue off." Baron looked genuinely surprised.

"Why the hell would I want to do that? I don't even really know the girl." He held up his hands. "Besides I been here all day."

"Anyone see you here?" Khari asked.

"Fuck, Khari, you a cop now? You come back with a warrant and maybe I'll answer some of your questions." Baron's face softened. "Bobby told me about Ranger and Lester and I know it hits you hard but don't go looking where there's nothing."

"You know anyone else with a tattoo like that?" Khari asked teetering on the brink of an accusation.

"Nah," Baron admitted, "Can't say that I do. I can tell you for damn sure that I was nowhere near Stephanie Plum today. I wouldn't even know where to find her. I liked both Ranger and Lester and it's a damn shame about them especially since Ranger was my main source of income." Khari found himself believing the sincere and sad look on Baron's face and sighed heavily.

"I'm still gonna have to tell the cops what I know," he said sadly.

"I know. I know that Ranger and Lester look like they're connected but are they? Lester was always hopped up on that shit. It could have been an honest to God accident." Baron leaned back heavily in his chair.

"It's too much of a coincidence," Khari said shaking his head.

"Sometimes when things are too much of a coincidence that's just what they are. Tell Lita I'm real sorry and I'll try to get up to see her. Close the door on your way out," Baron said effectively dismissing them. Khari stepped outside and turned to Shiloh.

"What if they really aren't connected?" he asked.

"How could they not be?"

"Maybe that's how they couldn't be. It's too obvious. Maybe we're looking at the wrong angle altogether. Life was a game to both of them. You heard Steph, he cut cards for a business. Maybe the game just took a wrong turn?"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

"What are you doing?" Shiloh demanded when they got back into the car. "He's OBVIOUSLY the guy we're looking for. Let's go back and get him or kick his ass or call - heaven forbid - CARL. Let's do anything!"

"I could be wrong but I don't think that he attacked Stephanie. One thing that she was very clear about was that she had met the person who attacked her. She's never met Baron. I know she hasn't." Khari said attempting to think through his own logic. Maybe he didn't believe Baron but he didn't want to turn him over too soon. Shiloh rolled her eyes.

"How do you know they've never met?" she asked in a tired voice. "They could have spoken to each other in the grocery store. You'd never know. And don't tell me that you went everywhere with Ranger."

"Anything's possible but I'm going with my gut here and my gut says that I shouldn't call the police in on him so soon. We need to look around a bit more," he argued.

"We're stuck, Khari. Without this lead we have nowhere else to go. This is a blinking red arrow pointing straight at Baron and you're ignoring it. I don't know why we're even doing this." Shiloh crossed her arms and stared out of the passenger side window of the car. The solution was so obvious and Khari was being blind.

"You know, not so long ago you were screaming motive at Steph. You got a motive for Baron? If you do I'd like to hear it. If you don't just shut up for now." Shiloh turned to glare at him, her blue eyes icy and full of hate.

Joe sat at Stephanie's bedside flipping through the paperback that someone had left. He wasn't looking at the pages and had no interest in reading the words. He was thinking back over all the times that Stephanie had come home feeling tense and looking angry after meetings with Lester. He remembered the time that he'd called and she'd demanded to know every word that he'd said. Joe was finding it easy to forgive her for thinking that he'd killed Ranger as he was wondering if she'd killed Lester. Whenever he talked to Khari or Carl he had a sense that he should be overly attentive to Stephanie even speaking for her so that she wouldn't give anything away. He glanced at her to see her staring at him intently.

"Something on your mind, Joe?" she asked.

"Just thinking things over, Cupcake," he paused staring back at the book. "Wondering why anyone would think that Ranger had told you anything that they'd have to worry about." He glanced back up at her. "Did Ranger ever tell you anything incriminating about anyone?"

"He told me that I was an idiot to believe that you weren't sleeping around when I wouldn't give it to you." As Stephanie spoke she saw the fire leap into Joe's eyes and held up a hand, "It was only because he was trying to get me to rationalize myself into sleeping with him. I never fell for it. I was smarter than either of them thought that I was."

"Either of who? Ranger and Lester?" Joe asked. The comment had aroused his curiosity.

"Yea. Lester was nicer about it but they both treated me kinda like the star bimbo. It didn't bother me so much except when something important came up and they'd push me back." Stephanie took the book from Joe and set it on the nightstand.

"Cupcake, you didn't..." Joe couldn't finish the question. Stephanie smiled.

"No, of course not." Joe sighed heavily not entirely sure that he believed her.

Khari stopped his car in front of Shiloh's apartment complex.

"We'll pick this up tomorrow, okay? You may be right but we'll look at it clearer in the morning. Take the night off. Relax. Soak in the tub or whatever you do. I'll pick you up at noon. Is that good for you?" He knew he should apologize for telling her to shut up but couldn't quite bring himself to do it.

"Whatever," she grumbled getting out of the car. "For the record I think we're making a huge mistake."

"Noted," Khari said smiling sympathetically. She slammed the car door and then slammed the entry door to her apartment building. Asshole, she thought. She climbed the stairs and opened the door to her apartment.

"What are you doing here?" Shiloh stood in the open doorway and stared at the person on her sofa feeling the panic rise into her throat.

The phone woke Khari up the next morning. He glanced at the clock and groaned. It had been a late night but it still felt early for 8:20am. He buried his face in the pillow and fumbled around for the phone.

"What?" he asked when he found the receiver.

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine in the morning? It's good for a girl to find these things out." Khari smiled. Aziza. He rolled over onto his back.

"Hey. I must have made quite an impression running off like that for you to call so soon." He couldn't keep himself from smiling broadly as he spoke. He reflected that he'd never been awakened in such a pleasant way before.

"Actually, Khari, this is a business call. Can we meet at the coffee shop? Say a half an hour?" she pleaded. He sat up alarmed.

"Yea, sure, what's up?" Khari asked anxiously.

"Nothing, well," she lowered her voice. "A roadcrew found a body this morning and I think you might know him. His employer in the police files is listed as 'Rangeman Inc.'" she whispered. Khari could feel the feeling of elation sink to his feet and roll away.

"I'll be there. Who was it?" he asked.

"His name is Baron Brown. We're lucky to have figured it out," she answered.

"Why's that?"

"Someone tried to remove his fingertips," she said. Khari could feel the chill rolling through him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

Khari raced to the coffee shop. He briefly thought about calling Shiloh and asking her to meet them there. He'd told himself that he didn't want to take the time to call her and that she could probably benefit from a few extra hours of sleep. In the back of his mind he admitted to himself that he didn't want to introduce her to Aziza. He couldn't quite pinpoint the reason but there was something hostile within Shiloh. Khari knew that it was more than that. There was something about her that he just didn't quite trust.

Khari cursed as he circled the block near the county morgue and couldn't find a parking spot. When he finally found a spot he parked at an angle not wanting to take the time to straighten his SUV. He ran to the coffee shop to find Aziza sitting outside at a table waiting for him. She had ordered a latte for herself and a regular coffee with double sugar and double cream for him. Khari couldn't help smiling at how she'd remembered the way he liked his coffee. He fell into a chair conscious of the sweat that gleamed on his ebony skin.

"Thanks for meeting me. I know that this is a risk for you," he said when he caught his breath.

"No problem." He could have sworn that she was blushing. "I kind of worried about all these people dropping at Rangeman. I can't help but think..." She looked up at him and stopped speaking. He smiled warmly.

"Nothing is gonna happen to me, I promise you. I just want to wrap this up. I know that Ranger and Lester's deaths weren't accidents and I know I should be watching my back. I really appreciate the trouble that you're going to on this." Khari was aching to know what had happened to Baron but didn't want to rush Aziza. She seemed to read him and got down to business.

"Someone went to a lot of trouble on this one but wound up rushing it. The kill was quick. To me that shows that someone cared if he suffered. The wound is through the back and through the heart. He would have died within a minute. The rest of it...brace yourself, Khari," she said reaching across the table and grasping his hand. He took a deep breath and nodded. "The killer did not want this victim identified quickly. He pulled his teeth and attempted to slice the skin off of his face. The subject is missing a huge chunk of his left forearm and the killer sliced off fingertips. That's where he got sloppy. He missed part of a fingertip and we got a partial print. As Mr. Brown has been arrested we were able to quickly identify him."

"Shit," Khari said sincerely. He tried to absorb the information and was not liking the visual picture that it painted.

"I'm sorry, Khari, but you're dealing with someone who might just be killing for fun. This seems to be a game to him. He left the knife embedded in the base of his victim's spine. He had tried to filet the body like a fish but must have been interrupted." Khari drank the rest of his coffee quickly, the hot liquid burning the back of his throat. He stared at the bottom of the empty cup.

"Were there any drugs in his system?" Khari asked.

"Labs aren't back but if there were drugs they weren't what killed him," Aziza said. Khari appreciated the way that her eyes were shining. He hadn't been close to Baron in recent years but it still hurt to lose him like that.

"Has the next of kin been notified?" Khari asked.

"The next of kin is listed as Bobby Brown. We've tried to contact him but haven't had any luck. Maybe you know where he is?" Aziza looked hopeful.

"I'm sure I could track him down. You have time for another latte?" Khari stood and Aziza had to crane her neck to see his face.

"Sure." Khari walked into the shop and ordered a latte and coffee. He was waiting for his order when he saw Aziza take a piece of paper from a man and smile at him. Bastard was probably giving her his phone number, he thought. Sort of thing probably happened to her all the time when she was out with other guys - but then they weren't out together. His heart sank as he realized that Aziza was free to date whomever she pleased and probably did. One date didn't constitute a relationship for him why should it for her? He turned his mind back to the case.

When he made his way back to the table she looked up at him and he saw the worried expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked checking instantly for the small caliber handgun that he kept strapped in a shoulder holster. She opened her mouth to speak and then stopped.

"Are you carrying a gun?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"Yes," he admitted.

"Why do you carry a gun?"

"Protection," he answered.

"Bullshit," she said flatly. "There is never a reason to carry a gun."

"Aziza, you work on the reason to carry a gun. If Baron had been carrying he'd..." he began.

"Still be dead," she finished.

"But maybe you'd have some blood with which to identify the other person." Khari hadn't meant to sound so irritated but she had no right to question his right to bear arms.

"Maybe or maybe not." She stood and tossed the piece of paper on the table. "Some guy came up and asked me to give this to you. I'll see you around, Khari."

"Aziza, wait," Khari pleaded. She turned around. "You must understand why I carry a gun."

"No, Khari, I don't," she turned and headed toward the morgue. He sighed heavily. Of all the issues to come between them basic protection had seemed the least likely.

"I'll call you," he called with typical male selective understanding. Aziza didn't turn or acknowledge him at all.

Joe had brought Stephanie home. She chose to ensconce herself on the couch among throw pillows happily eating ice cream. The price for the ice cream had been that she would try not the speak. She wasn't doing a great job.

"Do you want some help, Joe?" she asked. She was leaning over the end of the sofa so that she could see into the dining room.

"No thanks, Cupcake, just sit back and eat your ice cream. Didn't you swear to me that if I bought you some Ben and Jerry's you would never speak again? I knew the deal was too sweet to be true." He was staring at Ranger's phone records. Ranger had several calls in to his lawyer. The lawyer said that Ranger had constantly made appointments to change his will and just as constantly canceled them. Sometimes he canceled the appointments as little as five minutes after making them. He picked up the phone and dialed.

"I'm bored, Joe," Stephanie called.

"Read a book, Cupcake," he suggested.

"I have a better idea," she called. She appeared in the doorway of the dining room wearing his baseball shirt. He groaned and looked down at his paper. A receptionist answered the phone and he asked to speak with Nico Marachelli, Ranger's lawyer in the Burg. Joe had known Nico since they were kids. Stephanie made her way over and attempted to straddle Joe in the chair.

"Nico!" Joe said when his friend answered. He was trying desperately to keep his voice even. "I know the will reading isn't for a couple of weeks but I was wondering if you could break some rules for me."

"Not sure I can do that, Morelli. You got a court order on this one?" Nico's Jersey accent was more Bronx. Joe knew that he'd never spent more than a few weeks at a time in the city so never could understand how his accent had become so thick. Seemed odd for a man to affect an accent at Nico's age. On the other hand Nico was known as the Grizolli's lawyer and probably felt that the New York accent was good for business.

"No, personal favor. I need to know how Manoso would have changed his will. Why call you all those times to change it only to cancel?" Nico sighed heavily.

"This is strictly confidential, man. My clients know I'm feeding the cops I lose the business. Maybe more."

"Sulla vita della mia madre," Joe swore.

"Shit, Joe, you're a braver man than I am. Don't let your mama hear you going around swearing on her life," Nico said reverently. "I asked him once why he was doing it and he said that he had this chick who he'd promised to bequeath his business. He said that she always made him a little nervous at the way she insisted and sometimes he had to call the office to make an appointment for her to give it up. She wanted to see it in writing and he obviously couldn't produce it. He finally asked me to make a fake will to show her."

"Did you?" Joe asked.

"Hell, yea. He was a big client and he paid me well to do it. I wasn't gonna turn him down," Nico said incredulously. "I was gonna call you anyway. The reading is this Friday and your chick needs to be there?"

"Stephanie?" he asked. He'd been temporarily distracted by her sucking on his earlobe. She stopped and stared at him.

"No, Bella...Stephanie, who else? You got some other chick you didn't tell anyone about?" Nico asked. "Friday 1pm. Be there." The other end of the line went dead. Joe held Stephanie with one hand on each side.

"I need to call Khari and then we need to talk about why you'd be in Ranger's will."

Shiloh's phone rang and she rubbed her eyes before sitting up in bed to answer it.

"Hey,"

"Hi, Shiloh. It's Khari."

"What's up, Khari?" she asked blearily.

"I'm gonna be late picking you up," he said. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 11:30am. "A road crew found Baron early this morning. He was dead. I'm trying to find Bobby right now. I'll give you a call and let you know what I find. Meet me at Joe's house at 5:00pm, okay?"

"Okay," she answered lying back. "I'm sorry to hear about Baron. It must have happened just after we left."

"Yea, it's all kinda scary, you know?"

"Yea, it is," she agreed. "I'll see you later."

"Okay, and Shi?"

"Yea?"

"Be careful," Khari's voice had a serious edge that caused Shiloh to shiver.

"No worries here," she said trying to add a smile to her voice. She hung up the phone and stared at the ceiling. Bobby Brown had been lying next to her in bed and brought himself up on one elbow. It was too dark for Shiloh to see the expression on his face. He silently hovered over her.

"Baron has been found dead," she said with a slightly mournful tone to her voice. She reached up and caressed Bobby's cheek.

"Has he now?" Bobby asked. His smile expanded in the dark so that he looked like the Cheshire cat.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

Khari stared down the street toward the county morgue hoping that Aziza would come back. What had happened with her? Everything was great and suddenly it was all wrong. The slip of paper that she'd tossed on the table started to blow away and he grabbed it before it could fly off. He unfolded the paper and stared at the typewritten note.

_TTA L175 14R-24L-12R-2L_

Trenton Transit Authority was obvious. It was a locker number and combination. He wondered what sort of trap he would be heading into by going to the bus station. He flipped his phone open again and dialed Shiloh's number.

"Hey," she answered her voice husky. He kicked himself realizing that she had fallen back to sleep.

"Hi, Khari again. I'm gonna pick you up now if it's okay. I have a lead that I think we need to follow up on. I'm not sure what to expect and was thinking I may need some backup."

"What is it?" Shiloh asked hesitantly.

"A locker number and combination. Someone just dropped it with Dr. Houdra while I was getting coffee. Can you be ready in 20?" he asked.

"I'll be waiting," she responded before hanging up the phone. He flipped his phone shut and considered calling Joe. He decided that he was probably overreacting and headed for his SUV.

Shiloh's head fell to her hands and Bobby sat up next to her.

"What is it, baby?" he asked rubbing her bare back.

"I think I know what Lester did with the information he got when he followed us. Why the heck didn't you get it out of him? Why did you have to kill him like that?" Shiloh asked starting to hyperventilate. Bobby wrapped his arms around her and started rocking her. "What if he calls Joe - he will call Joe. We can hit Khari but we can't get them both, Bobby."

"If it's necessary I'll find a way. I told you that Lester was already dead when I got there. Why won't you believe that?" Bobby's eyes turned glassy. "Whoever did him did it just the way that I would have. It was beautiful and artistic. I wish you could have seen it. You would have loved how clean the cuts were."

"Let's remember, Bobby, that we're still in big trouble and that you're the only one who gets off on cutting people up." Shiloh made no move to hide her contempt. Bobby grabbed her shoulders and held tight bruising them. His eyes narrowed and he stared at her suspiciously.

"I love you, baby, but if I fall for this then so do you. You've been spending way too much time with Khari lately. Have you made him some promise?" Shiloh smiled seductively and ran a hand over his solid chest watching how pale her skin looked against his dark skin.

"No, Bobby. My only promise is to you. You deserve Ranger's business. Haven't I always told you that? He wasn't as business minded as he should have been. He turned down way too many jobs. He thought that they were immoral," she scoffed. "He didn't deserve to be in that position. You do. You'll be great at running Rangeman."

"We may have to change the name," he laughed.

"No, it's all reputation. It was bound to fall after Ranger," she coughed, "died so unexpectedly. We're only honoring the memory of our dear departed friend." She pushed herself off of the bed. "I've got to get ready. Follow us at a safe distance. Let's hope that Khari was dumb enough not to call anyone else." She picked a pair of jeans up off the floor and pulled them on.

"Shiloh?" Bobby asked lying back and enjoying watching Shiloh dress.

"Uh-huh?" she said as she dug in her drawer for a shirt.

"If I fall you go with me."

"Same here," she answered. She hopped on the bed and pulled him toward her trapping his mouth in a long kiss.

Joe sighed rubbing his face with his hands. Stephanie had sworn that she didn't know why Ranger would make a fake will naming her to inherit Rangeman. She didn't know why Ranger would leave her anything. He'd been her mentor and friend and nothing more. Joe wasn't sure of how much more he was willing to believe. He had gone easy with her because he loved and wanted to protect her but if she would lie to him on something so big he would never know when to believe her.

He stared at the e-mail he'd gotten through the police station website. The picture showed a black male that he didn't recognize. The man had his arm around Shiloh. What was he supposed to be seeing in the picture, he wondered.

"Cupcake?" he called. She came in from the living room. Her mouth had swollen from her refusal to stop talking and now she had no choice. She took one look at the picture and ran around the kitchen excitedly looking for pen and paper.

_IT'S HIM! _She wrote in big, block, letters.

"The guy?" Joe asked sitting up a bit straighter. "Do you know him?" She nodded and her curly hair bounced vigorously around her shoulders.

_BOBBY - HE WORKS FOR RANGER. _Joe dialed Khari's cellphone number. There was no answer. He shot a worried look at Stephanie.

"We need to find Khari and Shiloh now!" he said as he forwarded the message to Carl with a note explaining the situation.

Aziza was in a horrible mood when she returned to the morgue and noticed that Maria hadn't cataloged Baron Brown's personal effects. Aziza longed to fire Maria but knew that she couldn't as Maria was her sister, Amal's, niece. She pawed through the papers and general debris that had been found in his pockets. She found a datebook and idly leafed through it. For the 15th there was a notation that said _14:22:46 -Rman off. - S.P._ She stared at it for a few moments. She did not want to call Khari but this could be something important to him.

She looked around to make sure that no one was watching and then photocopied the page. She continued to leaf through and noticed that there were other notations, one listing _Job for L.S. trail S.P. _She stared at the page thoughtfully and then copied all of the pages for that month which referred to S.P.

Once done Aziza slipped into her office and dialed Khari's number. No answer. She left a message asking him to call her and wondered if he would call her back in light of how much she'd freaked over the gun. He wanted her to understand him but he had to understand how many accidents she saw. She took a deep breath to calm herself. No reason to panic. Khari had been in the military. He must know how to handle himself.

Shiloh was waiting at the curb when Khari pulled up. He smiled as she slid into the passengers seat.

"Where to?" she asked turning her body toward him as she clipped her seatbelt on.

"TTA Locker 175," he said shifting the car into gear.

She smiled hoping that the tiny microphone hooked to her bra had transmitted Khari's words to Bobby.

Joe shook his head while he stared at Stephanie as they were stopped at a light.

"I just can't get my mind around it, Cupcake, why would Ranger tell his lawyer that you were demanding that he change his will if you weren't? It makes no sense." Stephanie shrugged. She looked miserable and a tear rolled down her cheek. She pointed at the phone. She had insisted before her mouth swelled too much for her to speak that Joe call Nico and talk to him again. He sighed.

"Okay. Put the phone on the cradle so we can use the speaker," he demanded. She did and he asked her to dial the number. The receptionist answered and put him through to Nico.

"Hey, man," Joe said. "I'm just wondering. Did Ranger ever indicate that Stephanie expected to be left Rangeman in exchange for sex?"

"Who?" Nico asked.

"Stephanie Plum," Joe answered.

"He never asked me to write a will in favor of Stephanie," Nico said sounding confused.

"What do you mean? You told me..." Joe began.

"I never told you Stephanie Plum. Steph is in the will but she's one of the little bequests he seems to have thrown all the people who worked for him. I have a list a mile long and I don't think I have a room big enough. Nah. The chick he needed the will for was named Shannon...Shelia...Sheri..." Nico faltered over the names. Realization washed over Joe?

"Shiloh?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yea! That's her, Shiloh. You really think someone killed him you should be hunting her down," Nico advised.

"I'm on it as we speak," Joe growled.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

"If you were going to store something in a locker what would it be?" Khari asked curiously. He looked in the rearview mirror to see the black Escalade still following them. No reason to alarm Shiloh, he'd just drive in circles until he lost him.

"I really have no idea, Khari. Let's just get there. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Do not turn left here. We're driving in circles." Another minute and she was going to knock Khari out. She needed to get to the locker before anyone else found out about it. Khari sighed heavily.

"I'm just not sure of where to go," Khari said drawing another exasperated sigh from Shiloh.

"I can tell you where to go," she grumbled.

"What was that?"

"If you didn't know how to get to the fucking bus station why didn't you say anything sooner?" she yelled instead of repeating herself.

"I'm trying to lose our tail," Khari explained.

"What?" Shiloh looked around feigning surprise.

"Black Escalade. It's been following us," Khari said as calmly as he could.

"You're not going to lose him going 25 and stopping to look both ways," she yelled at him. "How about this? You get us to the station and drop me off. I'll run in and get the stuff out of the locker and meet you back outside." Khari gave a sideways glance at her suggestion.

"But if he wants what we're after he's gonna follow you," he rationalized, shaking his head. "It's gonna be better for us if I just try to lose him." He heard the click of the safety being released from Shiloh's Glock. He felt the cold steel against his neck.

"Shit, Khari, it's gonna be better for you if you just do what I say."

"Black male, 6 feet 6 inches tall. Between 350 and 400 pounds. Driving a Black Bronco..." Joe had been hesitant about putting out an APB. He didn't know how involved with the game Khari was. Common sense told him that the best bet was to get Shiloh and Khari into a controlled environment and figure it out there.

"What do you think?" he asked turning to Stephanie. "You think Khari is mixed up in all of this?" She shrugged. "I don't know either. Where do you think he'd go?" Stephanie puckered her lips and put her forefinger to her ear and her pinkie to her mouth.

"Good thinking, Cupcake," he flipped open his phone. "You know I like you much better like this. That whole communication barrier has fallen." Joe ducked as Stephanie swiped at him.

"What's this all about, Shi?" Khari asked nervously. He was trying to drive as carefully as he could knowing that the slightest bump could cause the hair trigger on the gun to retract.

"It's about betrayal, Khari," Shiloh said. "Here I thought I had Ranger fucking wrapped around my finger. He even showed me a document where I inherit Rangeman if anything happens to him. Turns out he has Lester tailing me. I had to take care of him."

"You killed Ranger?" Khari asked, his voice unsteady.

"No, Bobby killed him. You might want to say that I ordered the hit. This locker, I'm betting it contains all of the evidence that Lester gathered while he was following me. Unfortunately Lester is a sick son of a bitch and tried to blackmail me. I was so sad to hear the someone had gotten to him first because I would have liked to torch his sorry ass. That boy had no morals." Shiloh looked back. "Maybe you should just pull over." She suggested.

"What about Baron? What did he do?" Khari tried to keep his voice from quavering and was nearly successful. He pulled over near a wooded area.

"Hell if I know," Shiloh said shrugging casually. "That was Bobby's game. Maybe when he's working on you, you can ask him. Bobby appeared at the window and Shiloh pulled the gun away. "He may be one sick bastard but he's also one useful bastard." she nodded and Bobby opened the door and pulled Khari out of the car. He threw Khari against the hood and started searching his pockets. Not finding what he was looking for, he stepped back.

"Where is it?" Bobby asked, his voice dangerously calm.

"Where's what?" Khari asked. Bobby smiled and pulled Khari away from the car.

"I was hoping you'd play hard to get," Bobby pulled a long knife from his boot and pushed Khari into the underbrush. Khari had no doubt that he could take Bobby with weight and size but Bobby was crazy and crazy goes a long way in a fight.

"Can I help you, Officer?" Aziza asked pulling the bloody gloves off of her hands. Joe felt his stomach turn.

"I'm Detective Joe Morreli, Vice Squad," Joe said flashing his badge. "I'm looking for Khari Kaplan. I know this is a long shot but I was wondering if you had any information as to his current whereabouts."

"I did talk to him this afternoon but he didn't say what his plans were. I'd guess that he'd be looking in to whatever information was on that note I gave him," she speculated. She washed her hands in the basin and dried them with a terry towel. "I do have some things that I found on Mr. Brown that I intended to give to Mr. Kaplan. I left a message but I've yet to hear from him."

"Note?" Joe asked.

"Oh yea, we were having coffee when a man handed me a note and asked me to give it to Khari. I glanced at the note," she blushed at the admission. "But it was just numbers mostly and I couldn't make any sense of it at all."

"Did Khari understand the note?"

"He didn't look at it. We..." she blushed deeper. "Well, we had a little tiff right after and I ran off before he could look at it."

"Okay," Joe said sympathetically. "Could I look at the information that you intend to pass on to Khari? It may give me some hint as to who would have wanted him dead." Aziza nodded and left the room coming back with the papers a few minutes later. Joe scanned the paperwork.

"Thank you, Dr. Houdra. This fits in to the information that I've gathered so far." He nodded to Stephanie, who had crossed her arms and was looking imposing as was appropriate for her role as the sidekick of Detective Morelli. She had been kicking herself for lacking the forethought to bring the plastic police shield that she'd won ages ago from a machine.

"Let's roll," Joe said handing her the papers. She threw Dr. Houdra and crisp nod and ran after Joe as quickly as her three inch heels would let her.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Tank was desperately fighting to stay calm as Bobby led him deeper into the underbrush. He could hear Shiloh tearing through his car. He prayed that she wouldn't check between the bucket seat and base because as soon as she found the paper he would no longer be useful and he needed time to formulate a plan. His luck did not hold out.

"I found it," Shiloh called. "Do what you've got to do and meet me at the cabin."

"I may be awhile," Bobby called back grinning broadly. Khari felt chills go down his spine.

"You always seemed so normal," Khari observed attempting to draw Bobby's attention away from the purpose at hand.

"Don't I seem normal now?" Bobby asked as he pulled a knife from a sheaf that had been strapped to his back.

"No. Look at you pulling knives out of every body part," Khari stepped back. Bobby had the tip of the long knife at his throat before he saw it move.

"I like knives, I've always liked knives," Bobby said pulling the knife away and stroking the flat surface with thumb and forefinger. He turned the sharp edge to himself and ran his finger along the side of it causing it to bleed. Khari felt his stomach turn but saw his chance.

Khari jumped up and grabbed the branch over his head pushing the whole force of his feet into the knife. He dropped to the ground and started to make another move when he noticed that the knife had been pushed through Bobby's face and torso splitting them in half. Brain matter was mixing with blood and leaking around the shiny edges of the knife. Bobby made a strangled noise and fell to the ground. It occurred to Khari that the movement was as though Bobby had been held up by strings and the strings had been cut. He pulled Bobby's keys and cellphone from his pockets trying desperately not to get sick. He did not win the battle with his stomach.

He turned the phone on and tried to remember Morelli's phone number.

Shiloh hurried to the bus station. She was very cautious to make sure that she did nothing that anyone would recall as unusual if asked later. She breathed a sigh of relief when she reached Locker 175 and sat down to compose herself before opening it. She decided that she could not wait and dialed the combination with a trembling hand. The door swung open and she stared nervously at the attaché case afraid that if she touched it the pressure would set off an alarm. She was being silly. She picked the case up and closed the locker. She walked as slowly and as casually as she could to the Bronco. A police officer was standing by the Bronco and she quickly changed directions. She needed to get somewhere safe and open the case. She needed to know that it was all there.

"Holy shit," Morelli said softly as he hit the button on his cellphone to deactivate the speaker. Stephanie, eyes wide, nodded. Morelli picked up the police radio.

"I need an APB for a Page, Shiloh. Charge is Capital Murder. Female, hair blonde, eyes blue. 25 to 35 years old, 5'4", average build." Joe listened as the dispatcher read back the description and confirmed that it was correct. Joe sighed heavily as he heard the APB go out. He swung the car around and headed for the bus station.

"Any luck?" Morelli asked walking up behind Khari. Khari was seated across the aisle from Locker 175.

"It's gone already. Police are asking around but no one can remember seeing her." He swung his legs around to face them. "She'll have a pretty good lead and who knows where she's going."

"She'll need money," Morelli observed.

"She has money. She'll have planned for this. She's already caught so it's dangerous to stick around and tie up the loose ends...and there are too many loose ends. She can't kill us all." Khari shrugged. "In a way it's a fitting end."

"Trust me, Khari. We'll get her. It's not over yet." Morelli assured him. Khari sat up.

"It's not over yet, you're right. She doesn't know about Bobby. She said that she'd meet him at a cabin." His face fell again. "There's no way to tell what cabin she was talking about. There are probably hundreds of cabins in this area and on the Jersey shore."

Shiloh was walking around the back of the bus station not paying attention to where she was going when she found and gun thrust in her face.

"Give me everything you've got." The man was all narrow lines and wearing a black ski mask. Shiloh sighed heavily.

"You want this first?" she asked lifting her gun to his stomach and pulling the trigger.

"You crazy bitch," he gasped.

"Yea, I am," she said tiredly. She turned to walk away and felt the searing pain in her back of her neck. As she fell to the ground she realized that she'd never heard the shot he fired.

**Epilogue:**

It seemed that she'd been cleaning Vinnie's office for days and hadn't found what she was looking for. She'd been nervous enough to ask Joe to elope with her to Vegas knowing that in his family there was no divorce. He had agreed and they'd been married but she kept looking. On the day that she was about to give up she finally found the flat, Manila envelope taped to the ceiling in the closet. She sighed in relief as she thumbed through the pictures before throwing them into the trash can and lighting a match.

She watched as the pictures melted and her naked body wrapped around Lester's naked body in ways that would have been impossible to achieve in the flesh. The bastard had tried to blackmail her. He didn't know what hurt more, the demands for money or that he'd brought Vinnie into the deal.

She smiled remembering how she'd carved into his flesh like he was an Easter Ham.

She had been heartbroken to learn that it hadn't been her cuts that had killed him.

**There's a follow up story to this called "Trenton Murder Mystery" that I started in 2002 right after this one was complete. It's about Khari, Stephanie and Joe tracking a serial killer with the emphasis on Stephanie and Joe. I'll start posting shortly hoping that posting the story will give me the push I need to finish the final chapter.**

**Thanks for reading "The Indispensable Tank." **

**Lex**


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